Following sporadic showers for the rest of Wednesday, Santa Barbara County will receive a rest from the rain before another storm is expected next week.
“Things will dry out Thursday and through the weekend,” Kristen Stewart with the National Weather Service said.
Most of the county can expect on and off showers for the rest of Wednesday, Stewart said, and a flood watch is in effect until 5 p.m.
This week’s storm caused minor flooding and downed trees and power lines countywide.
On Tuesday evening, a strong wind event damaged more than two dozen mobile homes in Carpinteria.
The office of the National Weather Service in Oxnard is sending a storm survey team to Carpinteria to assess the extent of the damage in Carpinteria and investigate the cause. At the time, the NWS reported that the winds “may have been associated with a waterspout that that moved onshore from the ocean as a weak tornado.”
People in Carpinteria experienced extreme weather that damaged 26 mobile homes! @NewsChannel312 @TracyLehrNews #CAwx #StormWatch pic.twitter.com/spTpDNEEYB
— Ryder Christ (@RyderChristNews) March 22, 2023
According to the county’s hydrology website, in the 48 hours ending at Noon Wednesday, rainfall totals were 1.37 inches in Santa Barbara, 2.31 inches at the Goleta Fire Station, 1.48 inches in Carpinteria, 1.44 inches in Montecito, 1.17 inches in Buellton, 1.51 inches in Los Alamos, 1.45 inches in Lompoc, 1.61 inches in Orcutt, and 1.38 inches in Santa Maria.
Gibraltar and Jameson Reservoir are both at over 100% capacity. Cachuma Reservoir is at 97.3% capacity and Twitchell Reservoir is at 56.7% capacity, according to the county.
In addition to the flood watch, the NWS has a coastal flood advisory in effect until 2 a.m. Thursday and a high surf advisory in effect until 2 a.m. Thursday for the South Coast.
Several road closures were in effect due to storm damage, including a stretch of Highway 1 in Orcutt and Jalama Road from Highway 1 to the coast.
Click here to see the latest from Caltrans road closures.
Click here to see a Public Works map of county storm-related road closures.
Click here for the latest Santa Barbara weather forecast.
Click here for the latest Santa Ynez Valley weather forecast.