SLO County weather forecast: Clear skies this week — and warmer temps are on the way

An upper-level low-pressure system moved northward through the Central Coast on Saturday and produced scattered rain showers, gale-force northwesterly winds and cold temperatures.

In fact, high temperatures throughout San Luis Obispo County remained in the low to mid-50s.

The Diablo Canyon Meteorological Tower reported sustained northwesterly winds of 38.6 mph with gusts of 51.6 mph on Friday evening.

The rain gauge at Diablo Canyon recorded 0.12 of an inch of rain as of noon on Saturday, the first measurable rainfall of 2022, after 65 days in the heart of our rainfall season without any precipitation at that location.

The Water Resources Division of SLO County Public Works Department rain gauge on Davis Peak in the Irish Hills recorded 0.16 of an inch of rain, the most in the county. Most other locations saw less than a tenth of inch.

Partly cloudy to mostly clear skies and windy weather is forecast on Sunday.

Clear and dry weather is forecast on Monday into Wednesday as moderate to fresh (13 to 24 mph) Santa Lucia (northeasterly) winds develop during the night and morning, followed by fresh to strong (19 to 31 mph) northwesterly winds during the afternoon.

This pattern will produce cold mornings and mild afternoons.

Strong to gale-force northwesterly winds on Thursday through Friday will allow marine low clouds with areas of fog and mist to develop during the night and morning.

Increasing Santa Lucia winds will produce mostly clear and warmer weather next weekend with most locations reaching into the mid to high-70s. The long-range models do not indicate any rain through the middle of March.

Surf report

The northwesterly (310-degree, deep-water) sea and swell will decrease to 6- to 8-feet (with a 7- to 16-second period) on Sunday, further lowering to 4- to 6-feet by Monday.

A 3- to 5-foot northwesterly (305-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 13-second period) is forecast along our coastline on Tuesday into Wednesday, increasing to 7- to 9-feet (with a 5- to 12-second period) on Thursday and Friday.

Gale-force northwesterly winds over the last few days have produced a tremendous amount of upwelling. Consequently, seawater temperatures have cooled to 50 and 53 degrees and will remain at this level through Friday.

This week’s temperatures

LOWS AND HIGHS, PASO ROBLES

LOWS AND HIGHS, SAN LUIS OBISPO AND COASTAL VALLEYS

PG&E safety tip

Digging without knowing what’s underground can be unsafe.

Learn about underground utility lines in the area where you’re digging to avoid hitting them. Call 811. Get lines marked. Dig safely. To learn what you need, visit www.pge.com.

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.