Are more spring showers on the way to SLO County? See latest weather forecast

The stretch of decent rainfall in mid-March across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties did help to increase average rainfall totals; however, they are still below normal at this time, especially as you head further south along the Central Coast — consistent with a typical La Niña weather pattern.

Rocky Butte’s rainfall total as of Saturday was 30.7 inches — 87% of the seasonal average. So far this month, the Paso Robles Municipal Airport has seen 2.0 inches of rain or 60% of the seasonal norm. The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport recorded 1.8 inches as of March 29, reaching 81% of its usual total by this time of year.

Further south, the Santa Maria Airport reported 2.3 inches (53% of average), while the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport measured 2 inches, increasing from 35% to 51% of the normal amount of rain by the end of March.

True to its nature, April is a transition month regarding weather conditions: not quite summer and not quite winter. You may have stormy weather one day followed by record-breaking heat the next, and this week’s weather should live up to this reputation.

A 995 millibar low-pressure system off the California coastline will move northeastward into the Pacific Northwest and will produce heavy rain and snow in Oregon and Northern California on Sunday night into Tuesday.

Along the Central Coast, the associated warm and cold fronts will create fresh to strong (19 to 31 mph) southerly winds on Sunday, decreasing out of the west on Monday and areas of drizzle and scattered rain showers also on Sunday through Monday.

Total rainfall amounts will range between 0.10 and 0.33 inches with higher amounts in the coastal mountains due to orographic enhancement.

In the storm’s wake on Tuesday, a strong area of high pressure will develop off the California coastline and will produce a classic Central Coast springtime weather pattern with strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph with gusts to 45 mph) afternoon northwesterly winds and overnight marine low clouds with pockets of mist and drizzle, clearing during the late morning and afternoon.

Temperatures this week will range from low to mid-60s during the day, with overnight lows dropping to the 40s throughout the Central Coast. Temperatures are expected to increase next weekend.

The long-range numerical models indicate a dry weather pattern persisting through mid-April, if not longer.

Surf report

A 6- to 8-foot northwesterly (295-degree deep-water) swell (with a 7- to 14-second period) is forecast Saturday, decreasing to 5- to 7-feet (with an 8- to 12-second period) and shifting out of the west (270-degree deep-water) on Sunday through Monday.

A 5- to 7-foot northwesterly (305-degree deep-water) sea and swell (with a 5- to 10- second period) is forecast on Tuesday through Friday.

Combined with this northwesterly sea and swell will be a 1- to 3-foot Southern Hemisphere (210-degree deep-water) swell (with a 15- to 18-second period) on Sunday through Tuesday, decreasing on Wednesday through Thursday.

Surface seawater temperatures will range between 52 and 54 degrees through Friday.

On this date in weather history (March 30):

1899: A storm which buried Ruby, Colorado, under 141 inches of snow came to an end. Ruby was an old-abandoned mining town on the Elk Mountain Range in the Crested Butte area.

2015: Paso Robles has broken or tied the daily temperature record for seven days in a row when the airport reached 90 degrees today (March 24 through March 30).

2018: The morning’s Santa Lucia (northeasterly) winds pushed the marine layer back out to sea leaving behind a moonlit clear sky.

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 X @PGE_John.

This story was originally published March 30, 2025 at 5:00 AM.