SLO County weather forecast for the week of Oct. 10: Warmer with winds and clear skies
After days of relatively calm conditions and overcast skies in the coastal regions of San Luis Obispo County, a change in the weather pattern will occur this week.
Moderate to fresh (13 to 24 mph with gusts to 35 mph) Santa Lucia (offshore) winds will develop Sunday morning, followed by strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly (onshore) winds on Sunday afternoon and evening. These winds will produce clear skies throughout the Central Coast.
During the fall, the coastal regions gradually become warmer than the inland areas as the Santa Lucia (offshore) winds develop during the night and morning, while the Pacific Ocean keeps overnight air temperatures warmer along the beaches.
Sunday’s high temperature will reach the low-80s in the inland valleys (Paso Robles) and coastal valleys (San Luis Obispo). The beaches will range between low to high-70s.
A trough of low pressure will drop south into Nevada, which will cause an area of high pressure to build into the Pacific Northwest and the Great Basin. High pressure often builds over the Great Basin in the fall — the space between the Sierra Nevada range to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east. This condition can produce north to northeasterly katabatic/downslope winds. These gales can bring dry and heated air that blows across bone-dry vegetation and trees that have not seen rainfall in months, a typical fall California condition before the rainy season’s first significant showers arrives.
In response to this area of high pressure over the Great Basin, moderate gale-force to fresh gale-force (32 to 46 mph with gusts to 50 mph) north to northwesterly winds will develop along the coastline on Monday. This condition will produce dry and mainly clear to hazy skies on Monday.
A pattern of moderate to fresh (13 to 24 mph with gusts to 35 mph) Santa Lucia (offshore) winds will be developing during the morning, shifting out of the northwest and increasing to strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) levels along the coastline during the afternoon will start Tuesday and will continue through Friday morning as a ridge of high pressure builds into California. Overall, mostly clear skies and mild to warm temperatures will continue over this period.
Persisted northwesterly (onshore) winds on Friday afternoon through next Sunday should allow the marine layer to redevelop along the coastline with areas of fog and mist during the night and morning. The longer-range models still do not indicate any rain, perhaps through the end of October.
Surf report
Sunday morning’s 4-to-6-foot northwesterly (310-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5-to 15-second period) will remain at this level through Sunday night.
A 12- to 14-foot northwesterly (310-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 7- to 11 second period) will develop along our coastline on Monday, decreasing to 8 to 10 feet with the same period on Tuesday.
A 4-to-6-foot northwesterly (310-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 10-second period) is forecast along our coastline on Wednesday through Thursday, becoming a 3 to 5 feet northwesterly (290-degree, deep-water) swell (with an 8- to 14-second period) on Friday through Saturday.
Seawater temperatures will decrease on Sunday through Tuesday.
In fact, seawater temperatures will plummet to the low 50s due to heavy upwelling by Monday.
This week’s temperatures
LOWS AND HIGHS, PASO ROBLES
SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
44, 82 | 45, 76 | 44, 74 | 35, 80 | 41, 82 | 43, 86 | 45, 83 | 45, 81 |
LOWS AND HIGHS, SAN LUIS OBISPO AND COASTAL VALLEYS
SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
50, 82 | 49, 78 | 50, 75 | 43, 76 | 46, 78 | 49, 79 | 49, 77 | 50, 73 |
PG&E safety tip
What to do if you see a downed power line: Never, ever touch a downed power line or go near one. Power lines are not insulated like power cords. Always assume the power line is live.
- Don’t touch a downed power line or other equipment.
- Don’t touch anything or anyone in contact with a downed power line.
- Keep children and pets away from a downed power line.
- Don’t drive over a downed power line.
- Leave the area immediately and then call 9-1-1 and 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.