Quick Take
Santa Cruz County will get plenty of rain this week, with two rounds of significant weather rolling through between Tuesday and Friday. A high wind watch is in effect for the county from Tuesday evening through early Wednesday morning. A flood watch is in effect for the Central Coast from Tuesday morning through Friday night.
It’s poised to be a wet and windy holiday week in Santa Cruz County as two rounds of rain are headed to the county, with the first expected to begin on Tuesday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Karleisa Rogacheski told Lookout on Monday that there could be between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain at lower elevations and up to 2 and 3 inches of rain in the Santa Cruz Mountains from Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning. The second round, which is expected to last from late Wednesday morning through Friday evening, could bring between 2 and 4 inches of rain at lower elevations and between 4 and 6 inches in the mountains.
A flood watch is in effect for the entire Central Coast from Tuesday morning to Friday night; however, Rogacheski said that current models do not predict that the San Lorenzo River will flood. The water level is considered “action stage” at 14 feet, which means the water surface is near or slightly above the top of the banks. As of midday Monday, Rogacheski said there was only about a 5% chance that it reaches that level.
The weather systems will bring strong southerly winds, too. The NWS predicts that from Tuesday morning through Wednesday morning, gusts countywide are expected to range from 15 mph and 25 mph, with higher elevations seeing gusts closer to 40 to 50 mph. Those could increase to 40 to 45 mph at lower elevations and 50 to 60 mph at higher elevations toward the end of the week.
Rogacheski said county residents should drive carefully on wet roads, especially with increased travel around the holidays. Those on the roads should slow down, make extra time for travel and avoid driving through standing or moving water.
The wind brings the risk of falling trees and downed powerlines. Rogacheski said people should try to prevent wind damage to their own properties as well.
“If you don’t have your holiday decorations secured, now’s a good time to secure them or bring them in before the storm arrives,” she said. “It’s pretty easy for those inflatable decorations to get lifted.”
Rogacheski added that anyone traveling out of the county should keep in mind that much of California is receiving a deluge of rain, too.
“Definitely pay attention to what’s going on in other areas of the forecast,” she said. “We’re expecting snow up in the Sierras, more rain going further north, and rain going south.”
“This storm has the potential to be impactful,” Dave Reid, director of the Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience, said in a media release Monday morning. “Now is the time for residents to prepare themselves and their families—have a plan, build an emergency kit, and stay informed. Taking simple steps ahead of time can make a significant difference during and after a storm.”
Residents are urged to sign up for local emergency alerts at CruzAware.
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