Thunderstorms and lots of rain on the horizon through Thursday
The storm planning to blow through the Central Coast Wednesday night into Thursday is expected to bring a “band of lightning and thunder associated with a vigorous cold front,” according to John Lindsey, a PG&E meteorologist.
Lindsey wrote on Twitter thunderstorms can produce periods of very heavy rain and strong downburst, which is a hefty downward current of air from a cumulonimbus cloud that’s usually tied to an intense storm.
“Remember: When thunder roars, go indoors,” Lindsey wrote.
Thursday’s weather model indicate the total cumulative rainfall will range between 2 and 3 inches, with 4 inches along the Big Sur and Point Conception coastlines into Thursday morning, Lindsey said in an email.
“Snow is expected in the higher Sierra Nevada above 6,500 feet where blizzard conditions are forecast for tonight into Thursday,” Lindsey said.
The city of San Luis Obispo announced on its website that it has crews this week monitoring approximately 150 hot spots for downed trees, flooding, debris flow, and responds to calls for service.
“In the evening, police officers patrol critical areas and rangers routinely inspect the creeks to check if anyone is camping in a potential flood zone,” SLO officials wrote.
The city cited places where residents can get sandbags in the event of flooding, including: the City Corp Yard at 25 Prado Rd., Laguna Lake Golf Course on Los Osos Valley Road, Sinsheimer Park parking lot, and Santa Rosa Park.
The city also warned against flash flooding, which can occur when: rain falls rapidly on saturated soil or dry soil that has poor absorption ability and the runoff collects in gullies and streams and, as they join to form larger volumes, often forms a fast flowing front of water and debris.
“Flash floods most often occur in normally dry areas that have recently received precipitation, but they may be seen anywhere downstream from the source of the precipitation, even many miles from the source,” the city wrote.
Looking ahead to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, dry weather and mostly clear to partly cloudy skies are forecasted, Lindsey said, however, a weak cold front may produce partly to mostly cloudy skies on Sunday.
%20Cropped.jpg)