Update: Evacuations lifted in Santa Barbara County after severe storms; Hwy. 154 closed
Update, 10:30 a.m. Jan. 5:
Evacuation orders in Santa Barbara County have been lifted, as of 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The evacuations had impacted residents in the Thomas, Alisal and Cave fire burn areas.
Update, 9:30 a.m. Jan. 5:
Caltrans closed Highway 154 on Thursday between State Route 246 in the Santa Ynez Valley and State Route 192 in Santa Barbara due to rockslides blocking lanes. There was no estimated time for reopening.
Several roads were closed across Santa Barbara County due to flooding and downed trees.
Santa Barbara County areas had received several inches of rain in the 24-hour period ending at 6 a.m., with the South County’s El Deseo totaling 4.67 inches.
Read more here at Noozhawk.com: Flooding, Road Closures, Fallen Trees Reported After Overnight Rain.
Original story:
Mandatory evacuations were announced for parts of Santa Barbara County on Wednesday afternoon, ahead of another line of severe storms expected to hit overnight that could produce flooding and debris flows.
Authorities expect “significant impact” from rain and high winds on certain areas of southern Santa Barbara County, in particular the burn areas of the Thomas, Alisal and Cave fires. Evacuation orders went into effect at 3 p.m.
A flash flood watch is in effect for Santa Barbara County, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in preparation for the storms hitting across the state.
“The National Weather Service has advised the public service agencies that we are in the beginning stages of a major storm,” Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said at a 2:30 p.m. news conference.
Evacuations are mandatory in the three fire scar areas, with the Thomas Fire burn area being the largest, officials said. Brown said authorities will be going door-to-door in the evacuation areas.
Residents were encouraged to go to www.readysbc.org for additional information and to find out whether their home falls within the evacuation zone. Residents can also get information by calling 211 or 833-688-5551.
Evacuation centers open
An evacuation center has been set up at the SBCC Wake Campus at 300 N. Turnpike Road in Santa Barbara.
Evacuation for large animals in southern Santa Barbara County will be at the Warren Showgrounds on Calle Real, while the Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter will be the primary contact for small-animal evacuation needs.
Residents of northern Santa Barbara County are asked to call the animal evacuation hotline at 805-681-4332 if assistance is needed in evacuating animals there.
Santa Barbara forecast: Up to 10 inches of rain
Areas of Santa Barbara County could receive 4 to 8 inches within the next 24 hours, with some spots in the Santa Ynez Mountains getting as much as 10 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
High winds of 50 to 60 mph are also in the forecast, which coupled with saturated soil creates “the potential for trees coming down,” Brown said during the news conference.
The most significant rain is expected between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 5 a.m. Thursday, with the hours between midnight and 3 a.m. being the most intense, Brown said.
Brown and other officials at the afternoon news conference urged residents to minimize time on roadways.
Remembering SLO County’s deadly floods of 1995
SLO County rain & wind forecast
The storm — fueled by an “atmospheric river” streaming in from the Pacific Ocean — is also going to hit San Luis Obispo County hard, with the highest winds and heaviest rain forecast to come after 4 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
A high wind warning issued by the Weather Service is in effect across the county from 3 a.m. Wednesday through 4 p.m. Thursday. It warns of gusts up to 60 mph. SLO County could see 1 to 4 inches of rain, the NWS said.
“Damaging winds will blow down large objects such as trees and power lines,” the Weather Service wrote in its high-wind warning. “Power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.”
Roads that will be especially impacted include Highways 1 and 101, and Highways 41, 46 and 246, according to the Weather Service. Extreme cautioned is urged when traveling along those roads.
Highway 1 closed to Big Sur as ‘bomb cyclone’ arrives
Anniversary of Montecito mudslides
Monday, Jan. 9, will be the five-year anniversary of the 2018 debris flow that killed 23 people and damaged or destroyed about 500 buildings in Montecito.
Officials noted the anniversary at the news conference Wednesday when urging residents to leave mandatory evacuation zones for this coming storm.
“While this storm is forecast to be less significant than the one on 1/9, it is still powerful and should be taken very seriously,” Chief Kevin Taylor with the Montecito Fire Protection District said Wednesday. “In the past 30 days, our community has received 8 to 13 inches of rain, and this current storm is forecast to drop up to 10 inches.”
This saturation is what “causes our risk,” he added. “We are asking community members in the at-risk parcels to evacuate.”
The monstrous debris flows occurred after the 2017 Thomas Fire that burned more than 280,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The burned mountains were not equipped to handle the rains that came in the early hours of that January morning as the flow of mud and debris belted down the mountain, destroying everything in its path.
