Parts of SLO County see flooding ahead of major rain storm. Here’s what in store
Overnight rains flooded spots in Cambria’s West Village as San Luis Obispo County braced for a new storm expected to bring heavy rains and powerful winds.
According to the National Weather Service, SLO County could receive upwards of 4 inches of rain Monday into Tuesday.
“We will receive a good amount of rainfall —2 to 5 inches, depending on the location — as well as winds in the 40 to 70 mph range,” Scott Jalbert, San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services manager, wrote in an email.
Monday’s storm brings the potential for “localized flooding, high winds, power outages and strong surf conditions,” the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services said in a news release Sunday.
During the storm, people should avoid rivers, streams and low-lying areas “as a rapid rise in water levels may occur,” the agency said.
“We strongly encourage residents of our county to prepare now, before the storm hits,” Jalbert said in the release. “Don’t wait until it is too late.”
SLO County can expect a break in the weather Wednesday through Friday before “another low-pressure system produces southerly winds, rain and high westerly swell next Saturday and Sunday,” meteorologist John Lindsey wrote in his forecast.
Cambria sees flooding after storm
Cambria saw flooding in several spots on Sunday following a weekend rain storm — including the Pinedorado grounds next to Cambria Veterans Memorial Hall on Main Street and the East Ranch meadow at Fiscalini Ranch Preserve.
Water pooled in front of Main Street Grill and Old Cambria Marketplace and Shell Station across Main Street.
Although San Luis Obispo County crews didn’t stop by the gas station overnight to turn on the flood control pumps, assistant manager Tammy Hall said, they arrived about 10:50 a.m. Sunday, turned on the pumps and the water immediately began receding.
The station’s mini market reopened once the flood waters retreated.
Eric Johnson, the station’s general manager, said the flooding will cost him at least $5,000 in lost sales. He’ll have to spend another $2,500 to have excess water removed from the gas pumps before he can turn them back on.
There was heavy downhill runoff in lots of spots, resulting in flooding in some of the lower Marine Terrace areas, including Castle Street at Sherwood Drive and Marlborough Lane.
Locals have nicknamed the low-lying areas south of Cambria the “Cambria Lakes.”
Santa Rosa Creek was roaring with rain Sunday, resulting in extra wide headlands north of Shamel Park where the creek waters combined with the receding, mud-colored high tide at the shore.
Highway 1 remains closed after rock slide
Highway 1 remained closed Sunday from Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County, to just south of Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Monterey County following a major landslide, according to Caltrans.
The Polar Star slide, located one mile south of Ragged Point, could cut off access to that stretch of the scenic highway for several weeks or even months, the agency said.
Maintenance crews responded Sunday to “multiple smaller slides inside and just north of the closure area,” the agency said in a news release Sunday morning. “Some locations remain active, and crews are continuing to clear the roadway.”
Caltrans said maintenance crews will continue daytime patrols throughout the closure area.
According to Caltrans, the gates at Paul’s Slide were closed on Sunday and will stay closed 24 hours a day.
On Friday, favorable weather and road conditions allowed Caltrans to temporarily reopen Highway 1 between Ragged Point and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn to allow people to leave the area.
“Caltrans will continue to take advantage of any break in inclement weather to assess road conditions and provide access as long as the conditions are favorable for public travel,” the agency said. “We anticipate that an opportunity to reopen this closure may occur sometime in the middle of this week.”
The southern closure of Highway 1 remains at the elephant seal viewing area, four miles north of San Simeon, Caltrans said.
Amtrak cancels train service
In Los Angeles, Amtrak service was affected by the upcoming storm.
The Coast Starlight train, which travels between Los Angeles and Seattle with a stop in Santa Barbara, was canceled Monday and Tuesday “due to the severe weather conditions forecasted,” the agency said via Twitter on Sunday morning.
Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner trains did not have any cancellations as of midday Sunday, although that service had experienced a number of delays since Friday due to signal issues.
High wind warning for SLO County
A high wind warning was in effect for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties from midnight Sunday to 10 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service said, with the strongest winds expected to hit the Central Coast from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.
The agency predicted south winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.
“Damaging winds will blow down large objects such as trees and power lines,” the agency said, warning that “power outages are expected.”
People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches, the Weather Service said.
Flash flood watch for Monterey County burn areas
On Sunday, a flash flood watch remained in effect for areas of Central and Northern California, including the Dolan, Colorado and River burn areas of Monterey County, the National Weather Service said.
The watch, in effect through Tuesday afternoon, warns of flooding caused by heavy rainfall.
“Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations,” the Weather Service said. “Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded.”
According to the agency, the Dolan, Colorado and River burn areas could see up to 1 inch of rain an hour from late Sunday night into Tuesday morning, which could trigger flash flooding and debris flows.
Rainfall totals for SLO County
According to the National Weather Service, many parts of San Luis Obispo County received more than a half-inch of rainfall Saturday and Sunday morning.
Rocky Butte was the wettest spot in the county, receiving more than 3.5 inches of rain over a 24-hour period.
Cambria received 1.68 inches of precipitation over the same time period and Las Tablas got 1.6 inches.
These were the 24-hour rainfall totals for San Luis Obispo County as of 11:05 a.m. Sunday morning, according to the Weather Service:
- Rocky Butte: 3.54 inches of rain
- Cambria: 1.68 inches
- Las Tablas (just south of Lake Nacimiento): 1.6 inches
- Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo: 0.81 inches
- Arroyo Grande: 0.75 inches
- Santa Margarita: 0.68 inches
- Davis Peak (north of Avila Beach): 0.59 inches
- Templeton: 0.41 inches
- Black Mountain (along Highway 46 west of Templeton): 0.40 inches
- Los Osos: 0.39 inches
- Paso Robles: 0.27 inches
- Lopez Lake: 0.21 inches
- Atascadero: 0.19 inches
- Carrizo Plain: 0.03 inches
- Shandon: 0.03 inches
More wet weather on the way
According to meteorologist John Lindsey, SLO County can expect moderate gale-force to fresh gale-force southerly winds as well as moderate to heavy rain of 2 to on Monday into Tuesday.
Also predicted are extremely high southerly seas of 14 to 16 feet.
“A break in the weather is forecast on Wednesday through Friday before another low-pressure system produces southerly winds, rain and high westerly swell next Saturday and Sunday,” Lindsey wrote in his forecast.
This story was originally published January 8, 2023 at 2:43 PM.
