A powerful winter storm swept through San Luis Obispo County on Wednesday and early Thursday — dropping more than 2 inches of rain on several spots.
Across the Central Coast, the storm knocked out power, churned up high surf and filled creeks, rivers and lakes.
Rock slides and flooding resulted in road closures for thoroughfares including Highway 1 and Highway 154, while high winds downed trees and damaged buildings.
As SLO County worked to recover from the storm, locals including Tribune photographers and reporters captured those efforts on camera. Here are photos and videos of the aftermath of the atmospheric river event.
A wave crashes against the sea wall in Cayucos as spectators dash out of the way on Jan. 5, 2023. Danna Dykstra-Coy dannajoyimages.com
Clouds break in Arroyo Grande near Arroyo Grand High school on Valley Road as rainfall leaves fields filled with water on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
High winds ripped off the awning over the gas pumps at the Shell station at the corner of Highway 41 and Cubaril Avenue in Atascadero on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
A surfer heads out into big waves shortly after high tide in Pismo Beach after a big storm passed through on Jan. 5, 2023. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
High surf washes over the sidewalk in Cayucos on Jan. 5, 2023, after a powerful winter storm moved through the area. Danna Dykstra-Coy dannajoyimages.com
A swollen Salinas River flows under the the Niblick Bridge in Paso Robles on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, the morning after a “bomb cyclone” storm hit San Luis Obispo County. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
Piles of sea foam collect on the sand in Avila beach on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, after a powerful “bomb cyclone” storm him San Luis Obispo County. Kaytlyn Leslie. kleslie@thetribunenews.com
A crane works restore a downed PG&E power system on South Bay Boulevard that was inaccessible to most other repair equipment on Jan. 5, 2023. The outage knocked out power to more than 2,500 customers in Los Osos. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
Laguna Lake is almost overflowing following heavy rains, on Jan. 5, 2023. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
High tide waves crash against the shore at Santa Rosa Creek Overlook on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in the aftermath of the “bomb cyclone” storm that passed through San Luis Obispo County. Kathe Tanner ktanner@thetribunenews.com
High surf inundates a staircase to the beach in Cayucos on Jan. 5, 2023, after a powerful winter storm moved through the area. Danna Dykstra-Coy dannajoyimages.com
The high tide brought sea foam up to the stairs off the pier in Pismo Beach after a big storm passed through on Jan. 5, 2023. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
PG&E crews straighten a sagging power pole on westbound South Street in San Luis Obispo on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, resulting in detours for drivers. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
Giant swaths of marshmallow-like seafoam cover the steps leading to the beach in Avila Beach on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, following a powerful storm. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
A rock slide closes Highway 1 at Polar Star, one mile south of Ragged Point. Caltrans
High surf crashes against the sea wall in Cayucos on Jan. 5, 2023, after a powerful winter storm moved through the area. Danna Dykstra-Coy dannajoyimages.com
Debby Boutros took this photo of sea foam under the Moonstone Beach Drive bridge near Leffingwell Landing in Cambria on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Debby Boutros
Seafoam, seaweed and other storm debris litter the sand near a shoreside swing set in Avila Beach on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, following a powerful winter storm. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
Debby Boutros captured this view of stormy ocean waves from the Santa Rosa Creek vista point in Cambria on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Debby Boutros
Laguna Lake in San Luis Obispo is almost overflowing on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, following a winter storm. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
Swaths of marshmallow-like seafoam cover a walkway leading to the sand in Avila Beach on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, following a powerful winter storm. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
Christine Greek took this photo of storm damage at the Harvey Street beach access in Cambria on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Christine Greek
High tide waves crash against the shore at Santa Rosa Creek Overlook on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in the aftermath of the “bomb cyclone” storm that passed through San Luis Obispo County. Kathe Tanner ktanner@thetribunenews.com
A swollen Salinas River flows under the the Niblick Bridge in Paso Robles on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, the morning after a “bomb cyclone” storm hit San Luis Obispo County. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
Heavy rains flooded the Laguna Lake boat launch, on Jan. 5, 2023. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
Heavy surf came up over the sidewalk in Avila Beach, leaving sea foam in the parking spaces along the street, the morning after a powerful storm hit San Luis Obispo County, on Jan. 5, 2023. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
A pier piling rests on the sand in Avila Beach on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, following a powerful winter storm. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
This story was originally published January 5, 2023 at 3:57 PM.
Sarah Linn is an editor and reporter on the West Service Journalism Team, working with journalists in Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, Merced and San Luis Obispo in California and Bellingham, Olympia and Tri-Cities in Washington, as well as Boise, Idaho. She previously served as the Local/Entertainment Editor of The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, working there for nearly two decades. A graduate of Oregon State University, she has earned multiple California journalism awards.
