Santa Barbara County continues to weather the weekend storm with no significant impacts reported as of Saturday morning, according to local emergency officials. Forecasters warn that periods of heavy rainfall and possible thunderstorms remain in the forecast.
“We’ve got a very active period right now,” said David Gomberg, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “Santa Barbara County has been getting a pretty good amount of rain this morning, but the most active [weather] right now is over Ventura and L.A. Counties, which have flash flood warnings in effect.”
On the ground, Santa Barbarans are riding it out (knock on wood), with “no significant storm impacts,” said Captain Scott Safechuck, public information officer for Santa Barbara County Fire. That said, a Flood Watch remains in effect through this evening and forecasters warn that conditions could change rapidly.
“There’s still the potential for active cells,” said Gomberg. “So you could still get these heavy bursts of rain this afternoon and early evening. That’s why we have a flood watch up — meaning that there is that [flooding] possibility — but there’s nothing imminent happening right at this moment.”
The storm, which pulled in a band of moisture known as an atmospheric river, has already soaked the region. As of 8 a.m. Saturday, parts of the Santa Ynez Mountains had recorded more than seven inches of rain since Thursday, with downtown Santa Barbara topping four inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Winds and isolated thunderstorms remain possible. “We still have the threat of thunderstorms, especially with the heating of the day,” Gomberg said. “That destabilizes the atmosphere, so that will start to increase those chances through the afternoon hours.”
For now, local response teams are on stand by.
More rain is expected throughout Saturday. Officials urge residents to continue monitoring conditions and avoid flooded roads or low-lying areas.
