Flood advisory issued as more thunderstorms hit SLO County
The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for recent burn scars in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties on Thursday afternoon.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms could cause minor flooding in low lying, poor drainage areas near Highway 166 between Twitchell Dam and the Cuyama Valley, the Carrizo Plain, the entire Madre Fire burn scar and the eastern portion of the Gifford Fire burn scar, the weather service said.
The Madre Fire scorched 80,779 acres in southeastern San Luis Obispo County in July, leaving behind a massive burn scar vulnerable to flooding. As of Thursday, the Gifford Fire was 98% contained at 131,614 acres on the border of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, according to Cal Fire.
The weather service urged people against driving through flooded roads.
“Turn around, don’t drown,” the advisory said. “In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route.”
Report flooding to local emergency services, the advisory said.
The inclement weather was isolated to the southeastern part of the county.
The weather service forecast a 20% chance of rain and thunderstorms in the Carrizo Plain on Thursday afternoon, with a high near 81 degrees. By Friday, the weather should be sunny with a high near 85 degrees.
Weekend weather forecast
Looking ahead, San Luis Obispo County was expecting pleasant, early fall weather for the weekend.
Paso Robles was forecast to experience a warm, windy and sunny Friday, with a high of 87 degrees.
San Luis Obispo will have a foggy Friday morning, clearing to make way for partly cloudy skies and a high near 78 degrees.
On Friday, Morro Bay will be cloudy through the mid-morning with a high of 67 degrees.
Paso Robles will be shrouded in patchy fog before 11 a.m. on the weekend, burning away to mostly cloudy skies with a high near 77 degrees on Saturday and 75 degrees on Sunday.
San Luis Obispo can also expect patchy fog each morning on the weekend, clearing to mostly sunny skies and a high of 70 degrees on Saturday and 69 degrees on Sunday.
Morro Bay will experience its usual foggy mornings, with otherwise mostly sunny skies and a high near 62 degrees on Saturday and 61 degrees on Sunday.
This story was originally published September 25, 2025 at 4:13 PM.
