Update: Strong thunderstorm could bring flooding, hail to SLO County burn scars
A strong thunder and hail storm was expected to hit a small portion of San Luis Obispo County on Monday afternoon, bringing with it the potential for hail and flooding in the area of the Gifford and Madre fires burn scars.
Update, 5:08 p.m.:
The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory until 7 p.m. for a portion of southeastern San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties, according to the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services.
According to the alert, the advisory applies to areas just north of Cuyama, the Carrizo Plain and Highway 166 between Twitchell Dam and the Cuyama Valley.
It comes as Doppler radar “indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms,” in that area around 4:55 p.m, according to the Weather Service.
Original story:
Just before 4:30 p.m., the National Weather Service warned of a strong thunderstorm involving wind gusts up to 50 mph and half-inch hail in southeastern SLO County and northeastern Santa Barbara County until 5 p.m.
“If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building,” the weather statement said.
The special weather statement put the storm eight miles north of Cuyama, just to the east of the Madre Fire scar. At 4:25 p.m., the storm was moving north at 5 mph. The Carrizo Plains were also expected to be impacted.
“Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects,” the weather statement said. “Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.”
The storm comes while crews work to fully contain the Gifford Fire, which has burned over 131,000 acres in SLO and Santa Barbara counties over the last three weeks.
The Weather Service warned of dry lightning strikes on the periphery of the storm that could cause new fire ignitions.
Earlier in the day, the Weather Service advised of “very heavy monsoon-driven showers and thunderstorms” throughout southern California into south-central Arizona on Monday afternoon.
“Scattered areas of flash flooding are likely, some of which may be locally significant,” the agency said in a post on X.
This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM.
