Largest storm since Christmas is headed for SLO County — with 1 to 3 inches of rain
After weeks of dry conditions since Christmas, San Luis Obispo County finally will see a shift in the weather pattern as a substantial storm arrives this week.
A tropical system is forecast to reach the area on Monday through Wednesday, dropping between 1 and 3 inches of rain, said John Dumas, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
The expected storm will follow scattered showers along the Central Coast over the weekend, as a low-pressure system moves in from the south and southwest, Dumas said.
“This will be the (Central Coast’s) largest rain producer since around Christmas,” Dumas said. “But it will be much warmer than the weekend’s storm, and snowfall will be at 7,000 feet or higher.”
Dumas said that the mountains will see heavier rainfall, closer to the 3-inch mark, while lower-elevation communities that make up most of SLO County should expect about 1.5 inches.
After chilly weekend weather, with highs in the 50s and low 60s, the weekday high temperatures will be in the mid-60s. Weekday lows will be in the low 50s.
So far this rain season, SLO County has recorded precipitation totals well below seasonal averages, according to data from the SLO County Public Works Department.
San Luis Obispo has recorded 6.82 inches since July 1, or 27% of its average rainfall; Atascadero has documented 5.87 inches since July 1 or 31% of its average; and a Nipomo gauge shows 7.13 inches since July 1, or 40% of its annual precipitation.
The National Weather Service predicts more showers to come this season, using unofficial longer range forecasts.
“We officially don’t project out for more than a week, but our long-range models show a storm or two behind the system coming through next week,” Dumas said.
Hwy. 1 closure delayed
Construction work on Highway 1 near San Simeon that was scheduled for Monday and Tuesday will be delayed due to the rain, Caltrans said.
Instead, the agency plans to close the highway in both directions approximately two miles south of Ragged Point overnight on Wednesday and Thursday, according to a Caltrans news release.
The closure, which lasts from 11:55 p.m. until 6 a.m. each day, will extend from the traffic signals north and south of the project area between the San Carpoforo Creek Bridge and Ragged Point.
“This full highway closure is necessary so that Caltrans can perform a concrete pour as part of a project to construct a viaduct and retaining wall along this portion of Highway 1,” Caltrans said.
The $4.1 million project is scheduled to be complete by this spring, the agency said.
This story was originally published March 6, 2020 at 4:31 PM.
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