After a nice stretch of sunny summer weather, parts of Santa Barbara County may see rain and thunderstorms this week, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters aren’t expecting severe thunderstorms, but they are wary of dry lightning striking and causing fires, said Robbie Monroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Monroe told Noozhawk that extreme winds and hail are not expected in these storms.
Mountainous areas of the county could see a quarter to half an inch of rainfall, according to the forecast.
Other areas most likely will see less than a quarter of an inch.
While this kind of weather is unusual for August, it’s not uncommon to occasionally get monsoonal moisture from the south or southwest, according to Monroe.
On the South Coast, Monday and Tuesday will see patchy fog in the mornings, with sunny afternoons.
On Tuesday there is a 20% chance of rain, increasing to 30% on Wednesday, with thunderstorms possible in the evening.
The Santa Ynez Valley can expect similar weather on a warmer level.
Monday evening should see patchy fog till Tuesday morning, and then a sunny afternoon, with a high of 82 degrees.
Tuesday evening will see a 20% chance of showers, which will continue on Wednesday with a high of 80 degrees. There’s a slight chance of thunderstorms Wednesday night.
Thursday and Friday are expected to see sunny skies and foggy mornings and evenings, with a high of 81 degrees on Thursday and 83 on Friday, according to NWS.
Santa Maria should see cloudy skies Tuesday night, then a 30% chance of rain on Wednesday, with a high of 74 degrees. There will be a 20% slight chance of thunderstorms Wednesday evening.
Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high of 70, and a foggy evening, according to NWS.
Lompoc residents can expect a mostly cloudy Tuesday evening before a 30% chance of rain on Wednesday, with a high of 72 degrees. Wednesday evening will see a 20% chance of showers.
Thursday should be partly sunny with a high of 71 degrees until a foggy evening.
Friday likely will be foggy in the morning and sunny later in the day, with a high of 70 degrees, according to NWS.
Monroe told Noozhawk that additional rainfall is not expected in Santa Barbara County during the rest of August.
After the rain this week, Monroe expects to see above-normal temperatures throughout the county next week.
