Did we get enough rain yet? Not quite — but March storms give SLO County a big boost

The storm that inundated SLO County for two straight days is almost at an end, but not before it made a sizable impact on the county's rain totals.

Though this storm has caused flooding, car crashes, road closures and multiple swift-water rescues, it also brought SLO County up to 61 percent of normal rainfall, according to PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey.

"At the end of February, beginning of March we were essentially 30 percent of normal," Lindsey said. "This is a big improvement."

Lindsey said the rainfall is coming "to an abrupt end" about 8 p.m. Thursday.

And on Friday, it's not supposed to rain at all.

Friday will see strong- to gale-force northwesterly winds and dry weather, but there will be areas of dense ground fog and mist, especially in the inland valleys, due to all the moisture left over from the storm, Lindsey said.

A weak cold front is forecast to move through the area Saturday, causing rain showers and increasing clouds from Saturday into Sunday morning. Rainfall amounts with this system are predicted to remain below a quarter-inch, Lindsey said.

Strong- to gale-force winds and slightly cooler temperatures are forecast from Sunday afternoon into Monday, Lindsey said. Gusty Santa Lucia winds will move into the area by Tuesday and by Wednesday, high temperatures will be in the high 60s to low 70s.

This story was originally published March 22, 2018 at 6:31 PM with the headline "Did we get enough rain yet? Not quite — but March storms give SLO County a big boost."