Flash flood watch issued for parts of SLO County

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for parts of San Luis Obispo County, including the cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles, that will remain in effect through Wednesday evening.

Showers and thunderstorms have already started showing up across the county, and “copious amounts” of monsoonal moisture will continue to spread through the area through Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

Because of all that moisture, “there will be the potential for intense downpours with any thunderstorms,” which will bring an increased risk of flash flooding, the National Weather Service said. The warning is in effect for Atascadero, Paso Robles, SLO County mountains and SLO County’s interior valleys, the National Weather Service said. Parts of Santa Barbara County, including San Marcos Pass and Cuyama, are affected by the watch as well.

Places located in and below the burn areas from the recent Alamo and Whittier fires are particularly vulnerable, the agency said, and rain in these areas could cause flash flooding as well as mud and debris slides.

The weather may already be taking its toll: About 10:30 a.m., firefighters responded to two brush fires near Highway 58 and Red Hill Road near Santa Margarita. According to Cal Fire, the fires may have been caused by lightning.

This story was originally published August 2, 2017 at 10:54 AM with the headline "Flash flood watch issued for parts of SLO County."