Snow is on the way to SLO County — and it could even dust Bishop Peak
Keep an eye out for snow on San Luis Obispo County mountains on Thursday — and be careful driving.
Snow showers are likely, as are slippery roads, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory that will be in effect from 4 p.m. Wednesday to 10 p.m. Thursday. The advisory affects the interior valleys of San Luis Obispo County, including the cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles.
Total snow accumulations of 1 to 2 inches are forecast and snow levels are expected to fall to 1,500 feet, the agency said.
“Without a doubt that (low snow levels) should produce snow around a lot of the inland areas,” said PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey, adding that snow levels inland are forecast at around 1,500 feet and at about 2,000 feet along the coast. “We’ll see what transpires.”
Parts of Highway 41, Highway 46, Highway 58 and Highway 166 could see light snow and ice from Wednesday evening into Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
Lindsey said he would expect a “good dusting” of snow on the Santa Lucia Mountains, especially on some of the higher peaks like Hi Mountain, as well as on the mountains behind Hearst Castle.
Highway 101 over the Cuesta Grade reaches a peak elevation of 1,522 feet, which means snow is “iffy” on the highway itself but could be visible on the surrounding mountains, Lindsey said.
Snow flurries could also be visible on Highway 46 between the Cambria and Paso Robles areas, as well as in the Santa Margarita area, especially on Highway 58 east of town, Lindsey said.
Bishop Peak, one of the Seven Sisters, reaches an elevation of 1,546 feet — meaning there’s a chance of a snow flurry at the top of the volcanic plug, Lindsey said.
However, the Seven Sisters are closer to the coastline, and “the marine influence tends to be a little warmer,” Lindsey said.
Snow is more likely in inland areas away from the ocean.
But there probably won’t be enough snow to build a snowman: the storm system is coming down from the north over land, blowing over the Yukon and down the West Coast. That means the system will be cold, but since it’s coming over land, it’s not going to bring a lot of rain or other precipitation.
“There’s just not a lot of moisture,” Lindsey said. “That’s the problem.”
This story was originally published February 20, 2019 at 11:52 AM.
