More rain, snow expected in SLO County as second storm system rolls in
San Luis Obispo County mountaintops could again be coated in a layer of white snow as another winter storm system rolls through the Central Coast.
The National Weather Service is predicting a powerful cold front to dive south through the county on Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday morning.
The cold front will produce a “fairly significant winter storm,” according to the Weather Service’s forecast.
Areas between 3,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation could see 2 to 6 inches of snow fall Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning, the Weather Service said.
A light dusting may also happen at elevations between 1,500 and 2,500 feet, the agency said.
The Weather Service is forecasting at least 0.5 inches of rain to fall along the coast and in the valleys, with 1 to 2 inches possible in the foothills from Tuesday through Wednesday.
On Monday, the beginning of the storm brought 2.25 inches of rain to Rocky Butte northeast of Cambria, with between 0.5 and 1 inches reported in most other areas of the county as of 5:30 p.m., according to the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department.
Last week’s storm rain fall totals
The previous storm system that recently rolled through the area brought more than 5.5 inches of rain to Santa Margarita Lake, and more than 2 inches in most other areas.
Here are the local rainfall totals from Thursday through 9 a.m. Sunday, according to the Weather Service.
Some totals may be slightly off due to snowfall, the Weather Service said in its precipitation summary.
- Santa Margarita Lake: 5.52 inches of rain
- Santa Margarita: 4.22 inches
- Lopez Lake: 4.08 inches
- Atascadero: 3.75 inches
- San Luis Obispo: 3.45 inches
- Shandon: 2.99 inches
- Nipomo: 2.94 inches
- Cal Poly: 2.94 inches
- Arroyo Grande: 2.92 inches
- Oceano: 2.84 inches
- Templeton: 2.7 inches
- Carrizo Plain: 2.6 inches
- Los Osos: 2.3 inches
- Rocky Butte: 2.21 inches
- Lake Nacimiento: 2.21 inches
- Paso Robles: 2.05 inches
- Morro Bay: 1.81 inches
- Cambria: 1.66 inches
This story was originally published February 27, 2023 at 6:20 PM.
