Southern California, including Santa Barbara County, should gird for a chilly New Year’s Eve, as the National Weather Service forecasts below-freezing temperatures Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Winds will likely accompany the cold weather; the gusts could reach 55 miles per hour in the coastal areas and 60 miles per hour in the mountain regions. The agency also warned that crops could be affected by the conditions.
Two warming centers in northern Santa Barbara County — Peace Lutheran Church in Lompoc and the Salvation Army in Santa Maria — opened on Monday night and will remain open Tuesday night.