Major SLO County storm could bring 7 inches of rain and 70 mph winds
A major storm is predicted to hit San Luis Obispo County this week — bringing badly-needed rain, but also gusting winds, flooding and power outages.
The weather system is expected to hit the Central Coast on Wednesday and Thursday, when southerly wind gusts could reach 70 mph and 5 to 7 inches of rain could fall throughout San Luis Obispo County, said John Lindsey, PG&E meteorologist, in his Monday forecast.
Lindsey on Monday told The Tribune multiple weather models continue to consistently predict a sizable midweek storm. He tweeted on Monday the models are “still lit up like a Christmas tree,” with big splotches of purple, red and yellow indicating the expected amounts of precipitation.
“I feel pretty confident that we’re going to get a lot of rain on Wednesday and Thursday,” he said.
Will this storm match March 1995?
Lindsey has been comparing the weather system to a March 1995 storm, which brought similarly strong winds and dumped 3.4 to 11.6 inches of rain on the county in a 24-hour period.
“Some locations in the hills above Cambria and along the Cuesta Grade reported rainfall amounts exceeding 12 inches over 24 hours,” Lindsey wrote in a 2016 story recounting the storm. “Areas throughout San Luis Obispo County experienced flooding, with Cambria being one of the hardest hit. In fact, Cambria’s Fire Department used a boat to rescue people along Main Street.”
One important difference between the 1995 storm and the coming 2021 weather event is the amount of rain the area has received this winter.
In 1995, Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant received 16 inches of precipitation in January, alone, according to Lindsey’s data. This year, Diablo Canyon has received just 2.81 inches of rain from October to Jan. 7.
“The soils were really saturated,” Lindsey said. “It’s really different from this year, where the soils are really dry.”
That means there likely will be less runoff this year, even if the storm reaches 1995 levels, he said.
The county really needs the rain, as most areas have received about 25% of their normal precipitation levels, Lindsey said.
The Paso Robles Municipal Airport and San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport were both at 15% of normal rainfall, and Cal Poly is at 17%, Lindsey wrote in a Jan. 12 column.
If the storm produces as much rain as predicted, it could bring the county up to 75% to 80% of normal, Lindsey said.
Snow is expected at elevations as low as 1,500 and 2,000 feet overnight on Tuesday, and it will gradually rise to 3,000 and 4,000 feet by Thursday, Lindsey said in his Monday forecast. The Sierra Nevada mountains are expected to get multiple feet of snow.
Temperatures in San Luis Obispo on Monday were chilly enough to produce a burst of hail early in the afternoon.
Flooding concerns
The midweek storm could also cause flooding, especially in beach communities along the coast.
High tides combined with strong winds could especially impact south-facing beaches, such as those in Avila Beach and Cayucos that are already prone to flooding, Lindsey said.
Lindsey said storms can be especially concerning in areas scarred by wildfires. San Luis Obispo County wasn’t hit too hard by wildfires in 2020, aside from July’s Avila Fire, which burned more than 400 acres near Shell Beach and Pismo Beach.
Residents in that South County area should remain cautious, as it could be prone to flooding and other issues.
Where can I get sand and sandbags?
Many communities throughout San Luis Obispo County are offering sand to help residents prepare for the storm and prevent flooding. These locations will provide sand, but residents must bring their own tools and bags to haul it away. Sandbags are available at many area hardware stores, including Home Depot, Miner’s Ace Hardware, Lowe’s and Farm Supply.
North County
- Paso Robles: City Streets Yard: 1220 Paso Robles St.
- Templeton: Old County Road and Florence Street
- Atascadero: Fire Station 1 at 6005 Lewis Ave.
North Coast
- Los Osos: Station 15, South Bay Fire Department, 2315 Bayview Heights Dr and Los Osos Utilities Water Yard, 8th Street and El Moro Avenue
- Morro Bay: across the street from the Waste Water Treatment Plant at 170 Atascadero Road
- Cambria: Lampton Park, Lampton Street and Laurel Place and Rodeo Grounds Road near the entrance to the East Ranch portion of Fiscalini Ranch Preserve
San Luis Obispo
- City Corporation Yard parking lot, 25 Prado Road
- Laguna Lake Golf Course parking lot, 11175 Los Osos Valley Road
- Santa Rosa Park parking lot, 190 Santa Rosa St.
- Sinsheimer Park parking lot, 900 Southwood Drive
South County
Grover Beach: Public Works Department Corporation Yard: 1150 Farroll Road
Pismo Beach: City Corporation Yard: 550 Frady Lane
Arroyo Grande: City Corporation Yard: 1375 Ash St.
Oceano: 13th and Warner streets and 22nd Street at the Arroyo Grande Creek Bridge
Nipomo: behind CSD office on West Dana Street
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 2:23 PM.
