Sunbeams poked through the rain clouds hovering over the southbound lane of Highway 101 on Tuesday morning.
After a weekend of record-high temperatures, the forecast for Santa Barbara County is shifting again, with a dip in temperatures expected throughout the rest of this week.
A light rain drizzle pelted drivers’ windshields early Tuesday morning, leading to cooler, but still above-average temperatures in the low 70s throughout the rest of the day.
A red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service in Oxnard was due to expire today. Strong wind gusts were experienced overnight Tuesday, which had the potential to blow down large objects like trees or patio furniture and cause “unplanned power outages.”
According to the weather service, the combination of dry vegetation, high winds and low humidity could create conditions to “greatly exacerbate” the spread of a fire if one was started.
Starting on Thursday, Santa Barbara County will see a pattern change in the forecast with temperatures cooling down “dramatically” going into the weekend.
Temperatures will hover in the 50s and 60s over the weekend, and residents can expect to see some measurable rainfall as early as Friday night. Rain is possible through Monday, the weather services noted.
— Madison Hirneisen
