SLO County urged to prepare as severe storm approaches. ‘Don’t wait until it is too late.’
San Luis Obispo County officials warned residents to prepare as what could be the strongest storm of the season approached this weekend.
“We strongly encourage residents of our county to prepare now, before the storm hits,” said county Emergency Services Manager Scott Jalbert in a news release Thursday. “Don’t wait until it is too late.”
Although intermittent rainfall was predicted for Saturday, the brunt of the atmospheric river storm wasn’t expected to make landfall until Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
The Weather Service issued a flood watch for San Luis Obispo County beginning 1 a.m. Sunday through 4 p.m. Tuesday.
“A very strong storm will move into southwest California later Saturday through Tuesday, with the heaviest period Sunday into Monday,” the flood watch alert said. “Several inches of rain are expected during that period.”
Areas south of San Luis Obispo County were predicted to be hit hardest by the rainstorm. Pine Mountain and Ojai could see upwards of 9 to 10 inches of rain from Sunday to Monday, according to Weather Service forecasts.
In San Luis Obispo County, anywhere between 2 to 5 inches of rain could fall, according to the Weather Service. However, amounts of 3 to 6 inches for the coast and valleys and 6 to 12 inches for the mountains were possible, the Weather Service said in its forecast Friday morning.
The heaviest rainfall was expected to fall in San Luis Obispo County between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, according to the Weather Service. Heavy rainfall could also occur beginning Saturday night and through Monday evening, the Weather Service predicted.
“Historically, rainfall of this magnitude creates major hydrologic problems in our area and there’s no reason to think this won’t happen with this event,” the Weather Service said in its forecast. “For that reason the message remains the same: People need to start preparing now for a major flooding event.”
Could SLO County reservoirs spill during heavy rain storm?
Meanwhile, San Luis Obispo County’s reservoirs are close to overflowing.
Lopez Lake was at 97.5% capacity with water levels just about a foot below its spillway Friday morning, according to the San Luis Obispo County Public Works Department.
Santa Margarita Lake was at about 92% capacity on Friday morning with water levels about 2 feet below the spillway, according to the Public Works Department.
The rainfall will likely be accompanied by strong south to southeast winds picking up Saturday night, according to the Weather Service. Gusts of 50 to 60 mph could occur in some areas, the Weather Service said.
How to prepare for the incoming storm
The county’s Office of Emergency Services issued the following guidance for residents to prepare for the storm:
- Ensure you have flashlights and extra batteries.
- Charge electronic devices and have a back-up external battery on hand.
- Stock an emergency supply kit for your home and your vehicle.
- Keep your vehicle’s gas tank half full or more.
- Store important documents and valuables in waterproof containers and move them to higher levels of your home.
- Clean out gutters and get sand and sandbags if your home is prone to flooding.
Residents can also check ReadySLO.org for more information about sand and sandbags.
This story was originally published February 2, 2024 at 11:47 AM.
