Los Angeles, CA – The National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard has issued multiple Flash Flood Warnings for portions of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties as heavy thunderstorms move through the Central Coast overnight.
At 1:01 a.m. Tuesday, Doppler radar detected storms producing rainfall rates of 0.2 to 0.4 inches in 15 minutes, with 1 to 2 additional inches expected before sunrise. The warnings remain in effect until 5 a.m. Tuesday, October 14.
According to the NWS, flash flooding is ongoing or imminent in areas including Santa Maria, Lompoc, Nipomo, Orcutt, Guadalupe, and Vandenberg Space Force Base. Rock slides and mudslides are possible in hilly terrain and near recent burn scars.
A separate Flash Flood Warning issued earlier Monday night also covers western and central San Luis Obispo County, including Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Atascadero, and Highway 101 over Cuesta Grade. Motorists are urged to avoid driving through flooded roadways — “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
Officials warn that nighttime flooding can be especially dangerous, as water depths and debris are harder to see. Residents in low-lying or burn-scarred areas are advised to stay alert for rapidly changing conditions and be prepared to move to higher ground if necessary.
