SLO County weather forecast for the week of May 16: Windy, warm and a chance of rain
Last week saw plenty of marine low clouds with fog and mist in the coastal regions. For most of this upcoming workweek, gale-force northwesterly winds along the coastline, mostly clear skies, and warmer temperatures are expected.
An upper-level low-pressure system will move east of the Central Coast on Sunday into Monday. This system will produce a deep marine layer with pockets of drizzle, and maybe even some light rain during the night and morning. The skies are forecast to become partly cloudy during the afternoon.
Temperatures will drop to the low-70s in the inland valleys and low-60s in the coastal valleys and along the beaches. Note that widespread thunderstorm development is expected along the Sierra Nevada during the afternoon on Sunday and Monday.
Moderate gale-force to fresh gale-force (32 to 46 mph with gust to 55 mph) winds along the coastline will start Tuesday and will continue through Saturday. These winds will produce clearing skies and warmer temperatures away from the coastline.
Surf report
A 4- to 6-foot northwesterly (295-degree, deep-water) swell (with an 8- to 11-second period) is forecast along our coastline on Sunday into Monday morning.
Increasing northwesterly winds will generate a 4- to 6-foot foot northwesterly (310-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 9-second period) on Monday afternoon and night, building to 6 to 8 feet later on Tuesday and will remain at this level through Saturday.
Arriving from the Southern Hemisphere: A 2- to 3-foot Southern Hemisphere (190-degree, deep-water) swell (with a 15- to 18-second period) is expected along our coastline on Sunday through Saturday.
Seawater temperatures will range between 54- and 56-degrees through Monday, dropping to 49 to 51 degrees on Tuesday through Saturday.
This week’s temperatures
LOWS AND HIGHS, PASO ROBLES
SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
49, 70 | 48, 73 | 44, 87 | 46, 81 | 42, 77 | 41, 80 | 44, 84 | 45, 87 |
LOWS AND HIGHS, SAN LUIS OBISPO AND COASTAL VALLEYS
SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
51, 62 | 51, 63 | 48, 72 | 49, 70 | 45, 67 | 44, 67 | 47, 71 | 48, 76 |
PG&E safety tip
Assume downed power lines are energized and dangerous. Stay away from the lines and keep others away from them. Call 9-1-1 immediately to report the location of a downed line. After reporting the downed line, call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
John Lindsey’s is PG&E’s Diablo Canyon marine meteorologist and a media relations representative. Email him at pgeweather@pge.com or follow him on Twitter @PGE_John.