More rain is on the way for Santa Barbara County after some light showers Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
Thursday is expected to bring heavy bursts of rain sometime between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., according to Ryan Kittell, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
Moderate rain is expected most of the day with a few hours of intense heavy rain.
Kittell said conditions could escalate very quickly with little warning.
“Things could develop very fast,” Kittell said. “So don’t get in the sense of ‘all is clear,’ if you look and see everything’s kind of just moderate rainfall with little impacts, things could escalate very fast.”
During this time there could be significant road flooding, a high risk of debris flows, and damaging winds, Kittell said.
There is a high risk of flooding and debris flows in and around the Lake Fire burn scar on Thursday. The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management issued an evacuation order for specific properties within the Lake Fire burn scar and an evacuation warning for the rest of the burn area.
Click here to see a map of the impacted area.
The NWS issued a Flash Flood Watch for Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Lake Cachuma from Thursday morning through Thursday evening due to the risk of excessive rainfall.
“Heavy rain over the Lake burn scar could trigger life-threatening and damaging flooding and debris flows,” the NWS said.
At the peak of the storm, Santa Barbara could get 0.52 inches of rain per hour, Santa Ynez could get 0.45 inches per hour, Lompoc could get 0.41 inches per hour, the Lake Fire burn area could get 0.76 inches per hour, and Santa Maria could get 0.4 inches per hour, according to Kittell.
So far, the county has gotten less than an inch of rain. As of Wednesday afternoon, the San Marcos Pass had recorded the most with 0.41 inches of rain, according to the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District.
Because of the heavy rains and high surf in the forecast for this storm, the county is monitoring several bluff-top properties along Del Playa Drive in Isla Vista for potential erosion. Residents are advised to not go out on the bluffs and bluff-top balconies and patios.
Click here to see a list of Del Playa properties being monitored.
Weather Forecast Details
Across the South Coast, Thursday could bring 1-2 inches of rain during the day and a quarter to half an inch of rain at night. The morning is expected to bring 15-20 mph winds, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
On Friday, rain is likely mainly before 10 a.m. with west northwest winds of five to 15 mph and gusts of as high as 20 mph.
On Thursday the North County could get 1-2 inches of rain with south southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.
There’s a chance of thunderstorms Thursday night with a tenth to a quarter inch of rain possible. Southwest winds could be 10 to 20 mph with gusts as high as 25 mph.
On Friday, rain is likely before 10 a.m. with less than a tenth of an inch of rain possible. West northwest winds could be 10 to 20 mph with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Starting Saturday, sunny weather is expected to return and continue into next week and there might not be another storm for the rest of February, according to Kittell.
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