Cal Poly and the San Luis Coastal school district canceled classes Monday due to the storm and nearly 10,000 PG&E customers lost power.
Creeks and streams flooded and a cliff side bench in Shell Beach came dangerously close to falling, and the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning at 11 a.m.
While San Luis Obispo County locals hunkered down and first responders scrambled to keep up with constant emergency calls, Tribune reporters and photographers worked to capture the storm damage in dramatic photo and video.
Heavy rains flood the restrooms at Atascadero Lake Park on Jan. 9, 2023. Rick Evans
Atascadero Lake overflows into its spillway on Jan. 9, 2023. Rick Evans
Two people watch a rushing San Luis Obispo Creek downtown on Jan. 9, 2023. Stephanie Zappelli szappelli@thetribunenews.com
Floodwaters cover vehicles on South Bay Boulevard at Quintana Road in Morro Bay on Jan. 9, 2023. Bryce Strickland
Floodwaters cover vehicles on South Bay Boulevard at Quintana Road in Morro Bay on Jan. 9, 2023. Bryce Strickland
Cal Poly engineering students play football in the rain at the Pacific Beach High School baseball field in San Luis Obispo on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. The university canceled classes because of the stormy weather. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
Atascadero Creek overflowed its banks, flooding the neary by El Taconazo restaurant at Highway 41 and Portola Road on Jan. 9, 2023. Joshua Tarica
Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
A CHP helicopter assists in a search for a child who was swept away by floodwaters from San Marcos Creek near Paso Robles after a on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
A cliffside bench is at risk of tumbling to the beach below as a crack grows behind it at Margo Dodd Park in Shell Beach. The bench is dedicated to Ralph Clement. The crack expanded dramatically overnight due to the storms Jan. 9, 2023. Chloe Jones cjones@thetribunenews.com
A cliffside bench is at risk of tumbling to the beach below as a crack grows behind it at Margo Dodd Park in Shell Beach. The bench is dedicated to Ralph Clement. The crack expanded dramatically overnight due to the storms Jan. 9, 2023. Chloe Jones cjones@thetribunenews.com
Emergency workers route traffic on South Higuera Street and Prado Road on Jan. 9 2023. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
Business along South Higuera Street had flooded parking lots and many were covered in mud from the sudden onslaught of water on Jan. 9 2023. Kaytlyn Leslie kleslie@thetribunenews.com
@slotribune The bench is located at Margot Dodd Park in Shell Beach near Dinosaur Caves. City employees taped it off Saturday when the crack was just a sliver, then as heavy rainfall, high tides and winds continued to hit the coast, the crack grew and is now “ready to fall.” #sanluisobispo#pismobeach#california#winterstorm#centralcoast♬ Oh No - Kreepa
A tree fell into a house on Bradford Road in Cambria around 5 a.m. on Jan. 9 2023. Courtesy of Cambria Fire Department
San Bernardo Creek Road is completely flooded due to the Jan. 9 2023 storm in San Luis Obispo County. Mackenzie Shuman mshuman@thetribunenews.com
Cal Poly engineering students play football in the rain at the Pacific Beach High School baseball field in San Luis Obispo on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. The university canceled classes because of the stormy weather. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
Workers try to divert water away from Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo in Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Stephanie Zappelli szappelli@thetribunenews.com
San Luis Obispo resident Kym Bartley’s backyard flooded on Jan. 9 2023. Stephanie Zappelli szappelli@thetribunenews.com
Floodwaters knocked down a fence and inundated Templeton Road east of Atascadero on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Stephanie Tarica
An oak tree toppled over on Pioneer Road in Templeton as storms battered San Luis Obispo County on Jan. 9, 2023. Courtesy photo
The Marsh Street exit over San Luis Creek was closed due to water and branches being thrown over during a massive storm on Jan. 9, 2023. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
Atascadero Creek runs right to the level of the bridge near Atascadero High School and North County Christian School on Jan. 9, 2023. Joshua Tarica
A pickup truck plows through floodwaters at the Highway 41 underpass below Highway 101 in Atascadero on Jan. 9, 2023. Joshua Tarica
A swollen Atascadero Creek rushes beneath the pedestrian bridge linking Sunken Gardens to Colony Square on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Joshua Tarica
Atascadero Lake overflows into its spillway on Jan. 9, 2023. Joshua Tarica
Atascadero Lake overflows into its spillway on Jan. 9, 2023. Joshua Tarica
Heavy rains puddle in the lawn at Sunken Gardens in Atascadero on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Joshua Tarica
The storm turned Avila Beach Road in San Luis Obispo County from a road to a river on Jan. 9 2023. A motorist died after ignoring road signs. Chloe Jones cjones@thetribunenews.com
Highway 41 is closed from Morro Bay to Atascadero due to risk of rock slides. Jan. 9 2023. Mackenzie Shuman mshuman@thetribunenews.com
The creek from a flood Laguna Lake is raging along homes of Oceanaire Drive south of Froom Ranch Way bridge. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
Business along South Higuera Street at South Street in San Luis Obispo were hit with flood water, mud and debris. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
Oceanaire Drive is flooded with Laguna Lake water. The lake is up to the sidewalk on Madonna Road.
Business along South Higuera Street at South Street in San Luis Obispo were hit with flood water, mud and debris. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
Photo showing flooding behind the Nautical Bean coffee shop on Parker Street in San Luis Obispo. Brett Jones, owner of Nautical Bean, said, “He’s never seen this before. I didn’t expect this (flooding)!” (Photo Courtesy of Brett Jones) Brett Jones
Laguna Lake is almost to the sidewalk at Madonna Road in San Luis Obispo. Laura Dickinson ldickinson@thetribunenews.com
A car stuck in an overflowing Atascadero Creek was abandoned near Portola Road. David Middlecamp dmiddlecamp@thetribunenews.com
A SLO County worker surveys the a rising Arroyo Grande Creek from the levee as rain continues to fall on Jan. 9, 2023. SLO County
Morro Street is closed in downtown San Luis Obispo on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Stephanie Zappelli szappelli@thetribunenews.com
Floodwaters surround Old Cambria Marketplace and Shell Station on Main Street in Cambria on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Tammy Hall
This story was originally published January 9, 2023 at 12:43 PM.
Follow More of Our Reporting on SLO Tribune: What You’re Reading on Instagram
Kaytlyn Leslie writes about business and development for The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Hailing from Nipomo, she also covers city governments and happenings in San Luis Obispo. She joined The Tribune in 2013 after graduating from Cal Poly with her journalism degree.
.jpg "IMG_9700 (1).jpg")
%20Cropped.jpg)
.JPG)
_fitted.png)
.JPG)
