Break from blustery winds expected today
Palm fronds were blown across the Cabrillo Boulevard bike path Monday following a night of rain and heavy winds.
Residents in Santa Barbara and the surrounding area can expect a calmer forecast today after a blustery Monday brought overnight showers and wind speeds of 40 to 50 mph.
According to the National Weather Service, wind speeds reached 51 mph just after 1:30 a.m. Monday in Goleta, followed by rain accumulations of less than a tenth of an inch. Wind gusts of 40 mph were accompanied by rain accumulations of less than a tenth of inch overnight in Santa Barbara as well.
According to meteorologist John Dumas, rain accumulations overnight Monday were greater in areas with higher elevation. In Santa Maria, accumulations totaled about a quarter of an inch.
Today’s forecast calls for sunshine with a high of 60 degrees and a low of 45. Wind speeds are expected to rest between 10 to 20 mph, down from Monday’s gusts of 40 to 50 mph.
“If you need to do some work outdoors, (today) would probably be the day to do it,” Mr. Dumas told the News-Press.
Temperatures are expected to drop throughout the rest of the week, with highs for Wednesday through Friday in the mid-50s.
Meteorologists are also monitoring a large storm that is expected to hit the Central Coast Wednesday and Thursday. Santa Barbara is expected to see some showers on Wednesday and Thursday as a result of the storm.
Weather officials also warned that Monday’s winds could cause snow accumulations of three to six inches in the mountains surrounding Santa Barbara. The County Executive Office of Santa Barbara will close East Camino Cielo Road and Gibraltar Road if there are snow accumulations and advises travelers to avoid these routes when there is snow.
High winds across Santa Barbara County also caused a few downed trees and telephone poles in various areas around Santa Maria Monday. According to Lael Wageneck, public information officer for Santa Barbara County, the downed trees and poles were primarily in agricultural areas and did not destroy any property.
email: mhirniesen@newspress.com
