High Wind in Santa Barbara County Central Coast, California

A weather spotter in Santa Maria reported three power lines were knocked down by strong winds near the intersection of Black Road and Stowell Road.

In early January, a powerful Pacific storm brought strong winds, heavy rainfall, flash flooding and winter storm conditions to Central and Southern California. Rainfall totals between January 4th and 6th ranged from 2 to 5 inches over coastal areas to 5 to 11 inches in the foothills and mountains. The heaviest rainfall fell over favored south-facing mountain slopes. The total amount of rainfall, combined with rainfall rates around 1 inch per hour, produced numerous reports of flooding as well as mud and debris flows. The mountains received significant snowfall, espeically at the resort levels where 12 to 24 inches of snow fell. Along with the intense precipitation, the storm brought some very strong and gusty southerly winds to the area. The strongest winds were reported across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties as well as all mountain areas. The winds knocked down trees and power lines, producing numerous power outages.