SLO County had one of the hottest Novembers in nearly 100 years. Here’s what that means
San Luis Obispo County may be in the midst of a rainy, cold spell, but don’t be misled.
Overall, SLO County is getting hotter and summer temperatures are stretching longer into the fall, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
In November, the overall average temperature in the county reached 58.4 degrees, the hottest since 1926, when the average temperature for the month was recorded at 58.8 degrees, according to NOAA.
Additionally, the annual temperature in San Luis Obispo County has risen about 0.2 degrees every decade, the data shows.
This year alone, NOAA recorded 31 days with record-high temperatures in the county. Another 16 days tied record-high temperature records, the data shows.
“Fortunately, in the past, heat has not been a big threat — but heat is becoming a growing concern,” said Scott Jalbert, the San Luis Obispo County emergency services manager and former Cal Fire unit chief.
How is SLO County planning for warmer, longer summers?
The Central Coast region is typically known for its Mediterranean climate — with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Many homes do not have air conditioning, and residents are accustomed to escaping to the coast during heatwaves.
But as the climate has become increasingly hotter, Jalbert said residents need to be aware of the risks associated with heat. Those include health impacts, power outages and fires.
The county has an emergency operation plan for nearly every disaster it can imagine, Jalbert said, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, fires, freezes, heatwaves and floods.
Generally, the county’s plan for a heat-related emergency includes educating the public about the risks and providing care and shelter to those who need it. That plan is constantly examined as conditions change, Jalbert noted.
“This spring, we are going to look at revising the plan,” Jalbert said. “We’re gonna look at different tools and the availability of equipment; new things we can use.”
For example, the county has purchased power generators for use during heat-related power outages and has invested in cooling center partnerships with cities.
The former is a big change for the county, Jalbert said, as PG&E now turns off power in some areas during hot and windy days to prevent charged electrical lines from potentially sparking a fire.
The Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, or CAPSLO, has seen an increase in requests for air conditioning units in the homes it services. CAPSLO’s weatherization services are for low-income, typically elderly or disabled residents referred to them by a medical provider, according to Jim McNamara, the nonprofit’s director of energy services.
“Summers have gotten warmer and longer, so up until recently people were able to handle it,” McNamara said. “But now we’re getting requests in areas where you might have never needed to consider getting air conditioning installed before.”
McNamara said that includes residents in coastal areas of the county — including Cambria, Los Osos and Oceano.
CAPSLO has “repurposed” some of its house weatherization funds from providing heating to cooling services, McNamara said, although requests for heating services have “been pretty consistent,” he added.
As SLO County gets warmer, fire season gets longer
The increasing temperatures also impact the fire season, according to local Cal Fire Public Information Officer Adan Orozco.
Over the past two decades, Orozco said Cal Fire has seen the “fire season” grow much longer as catastrophic blazes spark as late as December and early as March.
Three elements — rain, wind and heat — can delineate how easily a fire can spark and how fast fuel burns, he said.
San Luis Obispo County saw a small amount of precipitation in October, but then a dry, hot and windy November.
Those combined conditions dried out the grasses, bushes and trees and drove up the fire risk, Orozco told The Tribune on Dec. 8.
“I would ask for the public to be more to be aware of our weather patterns and not to be complacent with the upcoming rains because all we need is a couple of weeks of warmer temperatures and high wind to dry those things back out again,” Orozco cautioned.
How to stay safe in a heat event
Residents can find more information on how to stay safe during an extreme heat event on the county’s emergency preparedness website, ReadySLO.org.
The county advises that before an extreme heat event:
- Find places where you can go to get cool.
- Keep your home cool by doing the following:
- Cover windows with drapes or shades.
- Weather-strip doors and windows.
- Use window reflectors, such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard, to reflect heat outside.
- Add insulation to keep the heat out.
- Use attic fans to clear hot air.
- Install window air conditioners and insulate them.
- Learn to recognize the signs of heat-related illness.
During an extreme heat event:
- Never leave a child, adult or animal alone inside a vehicle on a warm day.
- Find places with air conditioning. Libraries, shopping malls, and community centers can provide a cool place to take a break from the heat.
- If you’re outside, find shade.
- Wear a hat wide enough to protect your face and loose, light-colored clothing.
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
- Do not use electric fans when the temperature outside is more than 95 degrees, as this could increase the risk of heat-related illness. Fans create airflow and a false sense of comfort but do not reduce body temperature.
- Avoid high-energy activities.
- Check yourself, family members and neighbors for signs of heat-related illness.
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 10:00 AM.
