The monster storm wreaking havoc in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest is set to brush by Santa Barbara starting Friday night, but with far less ferocity than the state’s northern counterparts.
Santa Barbara’s first taste of this year’s rainy season will be a small one, with the National Weather Service expecting about one-third of an inch of rainfall overnight and into Saturday morning as the storm system moves south toward Ventura. Areas in the mountains can expect closer to a half-inch. Drivers should brace for wet, slippery roads and increased traffic incidents throughout the weekend.
A small craft advisory has been issued for the Santa Barbara coast running from Rancho Guadalupe at the northernmost tip of the county down to Point Conception, then jutting away from the coastline to include the Channel Islands. Inexperienced mariners and those with small vessels are encouraged to stay on land from 3 p.m. on Friday to 3 a.m. on Saturday morning.
The National Weather Service expects a small break in the weather before the storm’s second wave hits Santa Barbara late Sunday night and continues through Tuesday, with slightly more rain expected. “Neither system poses any threats for flooding or impactful winds,” says the National Weather Service’s local forecast discussion. “Overall, Tuesday just looks like a drippy, dreary day.”
The upcoming days mark the remnants of the “bomb cyclone” storm system that ripped through the Pacific Northwest, killing two in Washington and leaving much of the coastal areas without power. Northern California is still bearing the brunt of the storm, with winter storm warnings, flooding, and power outages moving their way south.
