Highway 101, Highway 154 closed north of Santa Barbara due to mudslides and rocks in roadway

Steady rainfall caused flooded roadways and mudslides across Santa Barbara County on Monday, with widespread street and highway closures reported.

Highway 101 and State Route 154 were both closed north of Santa Barbara due to mudslides and rocks in the roadway from the storm, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Northbound Highway 101 was closed at Mariposa Reina on the Gaviota Coast, near the landfill and state beaches, due to a debris flow near Nojoqui Grade north of there.

State Route 154 was closed between State Route 246 in the Santa Ynez Valley and State Route 192 in Santa Barbara because of multiple rock slides, the CHP said at 10:30 a.m.

Interstate 5 is the only alternate route for Santa Barbara-area drivers to get north, which drivers would have to access from Ventura County.

The CHP and Caltrans asked people to avoid time on the roads as much as possible Monday due to the storm conditions.

The wet weather likely contributed to the many vehicle collisions, spinouts, rollovers and over-the-side incidents reported Monday morning.

Moderate to heavy rainfall rates prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood advisory through 8 p.m., warning of flooding and potential shallow debris flows.

Shortly before 10 a.m., a wireless emergency alert was issued for the Refugio Canyon area to shelter in place due to flooding and mud flows.

A flash flood warning emergency alert went out to phones in Santa Barbara County around 11 a.m. Monday morning warning people, “this is a dangerous and life-threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.”

That warning is in effect until 4:45 p.m.

The Alisal Reservoir in the Santa Ynez Valley had received 7.3 inches of rain in the 12-hour period ending at 10:50 a.m.

Other rainfall totals were 1.8 inches in Santa Maria; 2.6 inches in Lompoc; 2.8 inches in Solvang; 2.5 inches in Goleta; 2.7 inches in Santa Barbara; 1.2 inches in Montecito; 1.3 inches in Carpinteria.

There was already a flood watch in effect for Santa Barbara County through 11 a.m. Tuesday warning that excessive rainfall and runoff could cause street flooding, creek flooding, rock slides and mud slides, and debris flows in recent wildfire burn areas.

“In addition, the Sisquoc River at Garey is expected to exceed monitor stage by 9 p.m. (Monday), peaking at around 11.5 feet late this evening,” the NWS said in its Flood Watch.

County emergency management officials announced evacuation warnings for South Coast communities near or within areas that burned in recent wildfires and were expected to order mandatory evacuations on Monday.

The communities are the same as the ones ordered to evacuate for last week’s storm: Refugio Canyon and parts of the Gaviota Coast for the 2021 Alisal Fire; the San Marcos Pass area for the 2019 Cave Fire; and Montecito and Carpinteria Valley areas for the 2017 Thomas Fire.

Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor warned last week that the conditions were similar to the 1969 storm with heavy rainfall causing “saturation event” debris flows that killed several people and destroyed homes.

That storm was five years after the Coyote Fire, just as these storms come five years after the Thomas Fire, he said.

Last week’s storms dropped less rainfall than expected.

The rainfall caused roadway flooding and the high surf caused damage along the coastline, including at the Santa Barbara Harbor and Goleta Beach Park restaurant building.

Storm preparedness resources

Resources for Santa Barbara County residents include the 2-1-1 information hotline, as well as readysbc.org, where residents can register for emergency alerts, view evacuation maps and emergency preparedness information, and where emergency notifications will be posted.

Sandbag collection areas are available across the county, and a full list of locations can be found here.

Power outages are possible because of the heavy rain and high winds in the storm, and Southern California Edison said customers can report or inquire about power outages at 800-611-1911 and get the latest outage information at sce.com/outages.

The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management is posting storm-related updates on its readysbc.org website.

People needing shelter from the inclement weather can go to the county’s Freedom Warming Centers on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

The centers will be open each day from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m.

They are located at First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance Ave. in Santa Barbara; Carpinteria Community Church, 1111 Vallecito Road in Carpinteria; Peace Lutheran Church, 1000 W. Ocean Ave. in Lompoc; and Cornerstone Church of the Navarene at 1026 Sierra Madre Ave. in Santa Maria.

The Warming Center Hotline is 805-324-2372.

This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 12:08 PM.