Rain is on the way to SLO County, along with more high winds. Here’s what to expect

Much like last week, high pressure over the Great Basin and off the California coastline will continue to produce primarily sunny skies, with occasional mid- to high-level clouds, and above-normal temperatures will continue through Thursday.

But a cold front will move through the Central Coast later Friday into Saturday with increasing clouds, moderate southern winds, and rain showers.

A moderately strong Eastern Pacific High centered about 200 miles west of the Central Coast combined with another area of high pressure over the Great Basin will produce a pattern of fresh to strong (19 to 31 mph) Santa Lucia (northeasterly) winds during the night and morning, shifting and decreasing out of the northwest by the afternoon.

This offshore flow could create 35- and 45-mph gusts near the Estero Bay area, especially along Highway 41 from Morro Bay High School, heading toward Atascadero about halfway up the hills, as well as the coastal canyons, like Diablo Canyon, and parts of eastern San Luis Obispo, including Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo High School, and French Hospital Medical Center.

This pattern will produce mostly clear skies, with occasional mid- to high-level clouds, cool mornings, and mild afternoons.

However, the Santa Lucia winds will create low clouds during late-night and morning hours in the inland valleys (Atascadero, Templeton and Paso Robles).

The inland valleys (Paso Robles), coastal valleys (San Luis Obispo), and beaches will reach the high 60s and maybe even the low 70s. Overnight lows will drop to the mid-30s in the inland valleys and mid-40s in the coastal valleys and beaches.

A cold front will move over the Central Coast Friday into Saturday. This front will create gentle to moderate (8 to 18 mph) southerly winds, increasing clouds, and rain showers. Increasing cloud cover will produce warmer overnight lows and cooler daytime highs.

Overall, rainfall amounts are expected to range between 0.10 and 0.50 of an inch. In the front’s wake, strong to gale (19 to 31 mph) northwesterly winds are forecast for Saturday afternoon into next Sunday.

Surf report

A 4- to 6-foot northwesterly (295-degree, deep-water) swell (with an 8- to 12-second period) is forecast along our coastline on Sunday through Tuesday, decreasing to 2 to 4 feet (with an 8- to 11-second period) on Wednesday.

A long-period northwesterly (295-degree, deep-water) swell will arrive along the Central Coast on Thursday through Friday at 5 to 7 feet (with a 16- to 18-second period)

Gale-force northwesterly winds along the Northern and Central California coastline will generate a 7- to 9-foot northwesterly (305-degree, deep-water) sea and swell (with a 7- to 12-second period) Saturday into next Sunday.

Seawater temperatures will range between 59 and 61 degrees through Thursday, decreasing to 56 to 58 degrees on Friday through next Sunday.

This week’s temperatures

LOWS AND HIGHS, PASO ROBLES

LOWS AND HIGHS, SAN LUIS OBISPO AND COASTAL VALLEYS

John Lindsey is a retired PG&E marine meteorologist. Email him at JohnLindseyLosOsos@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @PGE_John.

This story was originally published December 10, 2023 at 5:00 AM.