Thursday, 1:50 p.m.: PG&E reports that the power was restored at 1:45 p.m.
Thursday, 12:36 p.m.: 3,491 San Luis Obispo residents are experiencing unplanned power outages due to the storm, according to PG&E. The outage was first reported at 11:12 a.m. Estimated restoration time is still being determined. Cal Poly’s campus has no reported power outages so far.
This afternoon, San Luis Obispo is expected to see 30 mph winds, with gusts as high as 45 mph. Expected new rainfall this afternoon amounts between 1 and 2 inches, with rainfall this evening amounting between a quarter and half of an inch, according to the National Weather Service.
San Luis Obispo is under a flood watch and high wind warning, with 3 to 4 inches of rain and strong winds expected through Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service.
Despite the storm, campus operations will continue as scheduled today, according to a campus-wide email from Cal Poly’s Emergency Operations Center Wednesday afternoon. However, the university encouraged faculty and supervisors to be flexible with storm-related delays.
Local officials are urging San Luis Obispo County to prepare for potential flooding and power outages. Residents can monitor outages through the PG&E website and road closures via Caltrans.
The Cal Poly Department of Emergency Management is monitoring the storm and will provide updates to the campus community as needed, according to the email.
This storm is considered to be an atmospheric river, which is a narrow belt of concentrated water vapor that moves through the sky. Atmospheric rivers account for 30-50% of California’s annual precipitation.
San Luis Obispo has experienced severe storm damages in previous years. In January 2023, intense storms led to a shelter-in-place order for residents, including those in on-campus housing. Several campus buildings and residence halls were damaged by storm flooding between January and March 2023, and in the following months, residents reported mold damage due to storm leaks.
More resources regarding inclement weather planning, including a storm and flood preparation guide, can be found on ReadySLO.org.
This is a developing story, Mustang News will update as more information becomes available.
