Street flooding on Whitter Drive in Goleta.
Street flooding was occurring Sunday afternoon on Whittier Drive in Goleta as a winter storm moved through the region. (Joshua Molina / Noozhawk photo)
  • Street flooding was occurring Sunday afternoon on Whittier Drive in Goleta as a winter storm moved through the region.
  • Emergency personnel on the scene of a rollover crash on Highway 101 in downtown Santa Barbara.
  • Crews deal with a tree that toppled on Mulberry Avenue on Santa Barbara’s Westside on Sunday afternoon.
  • Street flooding in downtown Santa Barbara.
  • Street flooding was occurring Sunday afternoon on Whittier Drive in Goleta.
  • The calm before the storm Sunday morning at Santa Barbara’s Elings Park.
  • Shoppers on a rainy afternoon on State Street in downtown Santa Barbara.
  • Firefighters respond to flooding in the basement at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara.
  • The Romero Creek crossing Sunday afternoon.

A flood advisory was in effect Sunday as moderate to heavy rain was falling across Santa Barbara County.

Rainfall rates up to ½ inch per hour were expected through the early evening, with the advisory extended twice, the last time until 7 p.m.

“Flooding of urban areas such as parking lots, roadways and poor drainage areas is likely to occur,” forecasters with the National Weather Service in Oxnard said in the advisory.

Numerous traffic collision were reported, some with injuries, on the rain-slick roadways.

There also were several reports of minor street flooding in Goleta and Santa Barbara, and mud and rock slides on mountains roads.

Forecasters were calling for rainfall amounts between ½ inch and 1½ inches, with some areas receiving more than 2 inches.

Emergency personnel on the scene of a vehicle rollover on Highway 101 in downtown Santa Barbara.
Emergency personnel on the scene of a rollover crash on Highway 101 in downtown Santa Barbara. (Ray Ford / Noozhawk photo)

As of 5:30 p.m., 24-hour rainfall totals included 2.24 inches in Santa Barbara, 2.02 inches in Goleta, 1.91 inches in Montecito, 1.33 inches in Carpinteria, 1.26 inches in Lompoc, 1.01 inches in Santa Ynez, and 0.44 inches in Santa Maria.

The county's wettest spot was Alisal Reservoir near Solvang with 2.99 inches, followed by Tecolote Canyon west of Goleta at 2.53 inches.

The chance of rain was 90 percent Sunday, dropping to 60 percent Sunday night and 50 percent on Monday.

Tuesday is expected to by partly sunny, with rain likely again on Wednesday, Christmas Day.

Daytime high temperatures should be around 60, with overnight lows in the low 40s.

» Click here for the latest Santa Barbara area forecast from the National Weather Service.

» Click here for Santa Barbara County real-time rainfall totals.

» Sign up for emergency alerts through the ReadySBC.org website.

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Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.

Crews deal with a tree that was toppling on Mulberry Avenue on Santa Barbara’s Westside.
Crews deal with a tree that toppled on Mulberry Avenue on Santa Barbara’s Westside on Sunday afternoon. (Peter Hartmann / Noozhawk photo)
Light-haired man with mustache smiling

Tom Bolton, Noozhawk Executive Editor

Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com.