Colder storm this week in SLO County with more rain, strong winds and chance of thunderstorms
.JPG "Rains fall as gusting winds hit Morro Bay on Jan. 4, 2022.")
Cal Poly, the home of climatology for San Luis Obispo since 1893, broke the all-time daily rainfall record last Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. The Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo RAWS station recorded 6.41 inches, besting the previous daily record of 5.90 inches recorded on Jan. 25, 1969. By mid-January, Cal Poly Airport should have recorded 10 inches of precipitation for the rainy season (July 1 through June 30). As of Saturday morning, this weather station has seen 26 inches or 260 percent of the average this season. The Paso Robles Municipal Airport has recorded 11 inches of rain, or about 167 percent of normal precipitation. So far, Rocky Butte reported 55 inches, it’s average rainfall amount for the entire season is 40 inches.
Lake Nacimiento has risen to 76 percent of capacity as of Friday. At the beginning of the year, it was only at 32 percent. Lake San Antonio has reached 27 percent of capacity from 11 percent at the start of the year. Lopez Lake Reservoir has increased to 45 percent of capacity, while Whale Rock Reservoir is now at 83 percent and Salinas Reservoir is spilling at 103 percent.
A 993 millibar low-pressure system will be centered over the San Francisco Bay Area on Sunday. The associated cold front will produce strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph with gusts to 45 mph), southerly winds, and gentle to moderate rain with a chance of thunderstorms on Sunday evening into Martin Luther King Jr. Day as it moves through San Luis Obispo County. This system will be colder than previous storms; consequently, rainfall amounts will be less, with most areas receiving between 0.50 and 1.00 inch with higher amounts in the Santa Lucia mountains. Snow levels will drop to 4,500 feet.
Strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly winds and partly cloudy skies are forecast on Tuesday.
The Eastern Pacific High is forecast to move northward, pushing the storm track into the Pacific Northwest by Wednesday. This condition will produce periods of gusty Santa Lucia (northeasterly and offshore) winds and a period of dry and mostly clear conditions through the end of January. Overnight temperatures will become colder and daytime highs warmer.
Surf report
A 9- to 11-foot westerly (275-degree, deep-water) swell (with a 12- to 14-second period) will arrive along our coastline on Sunday, decreasing to 8- to 10-feet on Monday morning and afternoon,
An 11- to 13-foot westerly (275-degree, deep-water) swell (with a 14- to 18-second period) will arrive along our coastline on Monday afternoon and remain at this level through Tuesday.
A 5- to 7-foot northwesterly (300-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 15-second period) is expected along our coastline on Wednesday through Friday.
Seawater temperatures will range between 57 and 59 degrees through Monday, decreasing on Tuesday through Friday.
This week’s temperatures
LOWS AND HIGHS, PASO ROBLES
SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
42, 55 | 45, 55 | 39, 55 | 36, 56 | 37, 56 | 36, 57 | 35, 58 | 34, 59 |
LOWS AND HIGHS, SAN LUIS OBISPO AND COASTAL VALLEYS
SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN |
46, 56 | 47, 56 | 44, 57 | 42, 59 | 44, 59 | 44, 60 | 41, 62 | 38, 65 |
John Lindsey is a retired PG&E marine meteorologist. Email him at JohnLindseyLosOsos@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @PGE_John.