All areas of Santa Barbara County benefitted from a good soaking from this week’s storms, and more wet weather is in the forecast for the next couple days.
San Marcos Pass was the county’s wettest spot with a 3-day total of 3.98 inches of rain as of midday Thursday, according to the county Public Works Department.
Additional areas that recorded higher rainfall totals this week included the KTYD radio towers along Gibraltar Road above Montecito with 3.55 inches; Tecolote Canyon just west of Goleta, 3.26 inches; Figueroa Mountain north of Lake Cachuma, 2.26 inches; Santa Barbara, 2.03 inches; and Los Alamos, 1.88 inches.
Other rain totals included Lompoc, 1.76 inches; Montecito, 1.61 inches; Buellton, 1.61 inches; Goleta, 1.45 inches; Carpinteria, 1.41 inches; and Santa Maria, 1.35 inches.
As of 8 a.m. Thursday, the county overall was at 43% of normal precipitation for the rain year that began on Sept. 1.
Lake Cachuma was 88.3% full, while Gibraltar Reservoir was at 61.4% of capacity, and Jameson Reservoirwas at 95%. Both are upstream from Cachuma on the Santa Ynez River.
Forecasters are expecting “on and off showers across the area” Thursday and Friday, according to Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
“Showers will be quick to move through the area,” Cohen said. “Quick to move in and quick to leave.”
He added that those showers could be accompanied by gusty winds and small hail.
Rainfall totals Thursday and Friday “will vary widely from place to place,” Cohen said, generally ranging from a quarter to half an inch.
Things should begin to dry out this weekend, heading into a “generally drier pattern next week,” Cohen said, although there is a chance of showers on Monday.
A Flood Watch will remain in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday, while a Wind Advisory will be in effect until 3 a.m. Friday, and a High Surf Advisory will be in effect until 3 p.m. Friday.
Daytime high temperatures are expected to be in the mid-50s on Thursday and Friday, rising to the mid-60s over the weekend.
Overnight lows should be in the mid-40s.
Click here for the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.