SLO County under flood watch after rain sweeps region, National Weather Service says
Parts of San Luis Obispo County were under a flood watch on Sunday after a rare September rainstorm swept the region, according to the National Weather Service.
“Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible,” the agency said on its website. “Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.”
The flood watch will be in effect from noon Sunday to Sunday evening, the NWS said.
Affected areas include the interior valleys and mountains of SLO County — including the communities of Creston and Shandon, as well as Carrizo Plain, Santa Margarita Lake and the La Panza Range.
A flood watch is also in place for the Cuyama Valley and parts of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
According to the National Weather Service, there was ”a chance of showers and thunderstorms” Sunday afternoon and evening.
“Some of these thunderstorms may produce heavy downpours with rainfall rates exceeding 1 inch per hour,” the agency said, increasing “the threat for dangerous flash flooding.”
According to meteorologist John Lindsey, the storm system comes courtesy of Tropical Storm Kay.
SLO County was expected to get a quarter-inch to three-quarter inches of rain between Saturday morning and Sunday evening, Lindsey said, along with falling temperatures.
According to Lindsey, Monday will bring a major change in the weather as the high-pressure system responsible for the recent heat wave heads east.
A low-pressure system is forecast to move through coastal California from Tuesday to Friday — bringing cool temperatures and strong to gale force winds along the coast.
For safety tips, go to weather.gov/safety/flood.
This story was originally published September 11, 2022 at 10:13 AM.
