SLO County weather forecast for the week of May 17: Rain and chance of thunderstorms
The marine layer with areas of fog and drizzle will return to coastal regions Saturday evening into Sunday morning as a late-season upper-level low-pressure system develops off the Oregon coast.
The associated cold front is forecast to pass the Central Coast Sunday night into Monday morning with gentle to moderate (8 to 18 mph) southerly winds and rain.
At this time, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model is indicating between 0.10 and 0.33 of an inch, while NOAA’s Global Forecast System (GFS) model is advertising 0.10 of an inch of rain.
Due to the long days of late spring, there will be a chance for thunderstorms across the Central Coast Monday afternoon. Snow levels will be relatively high on Sunday into Monday, mainly above 7,500 feet. Cooler air will filter into Central California on Monday, with high temperatures generally in the 60s and overnight lows in the 40s on Tuesday morning.
This system will be followed by strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly winds and warmer weather on Tuesday afternoon through next week with temperatures warming to near or slightly above normal later in the week.
Surf report
A 5- to 7-foot northwesterly (295-degree, deep-water) swell (with an 8- to 16-second period) is forecast along our coastline on Sunday into Monday, followed by a 5- to 7-foot northwesterly (320-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 11-second period) on Tuesday into Thursday.
Arriving from the Southern Hemisphere: Sunday’s 2- to 3-foot Southern Hemisphere (220-degree, deep-water) swell (with a 17- to 19-second period) will remain at this level through Monday.
Seawater temperatures will range between 54 and 56 degrees through Friday.
This week’s temperatures
LOWS AND HIGHS, PASO ROBLES
SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
49, 75 | 51, 69 | 43, 72 | 43, 79 | 44, 83 | 44, 80 | 46, 83 | 49, 85 |
LOWS AND HIGHS, SAN LUIS OBISPO AND COASTAL VALLEYS
SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
52, 67 | 56, 64 | 47, 64 | 48, 74 | 54, 74 | 53, 71 | 54, 74 | 55, 75 |
PG&E safety tip
Rain after a dry period releases oil, grease and rubber dust that have accumulated on roadways, creating slippery conditions. Driving too fast is the No. 1 cause of traffic accidents on wet days. Tragically over the years, first responders, such as California Highway Patrol officers, firefighters, Caltrans highway workers, and PG&E line crews have been hit by vehicles. One of the most significant hazards for workers along highways is motorists who do not exercise caution while driving through work zones. So please, “Slow for the Cone Zone.”