More rain falls on Santa Barbara County

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Rain has deluged Santa Barbara County in the last few weeks, and even more rain came Wednesday evening and into Thursday morning and afternoon.

The National Weather Service reported that there was approximately half an inch of rain in Goleta and Santa Ynez. Elsewhere, 0.23 inch fell in Santa Maria, 0.2 inch in Lompoc and 0.17 inch in New Cuyama.

The weather service says Santa Barbara will be partly cloudy today with a low of 44 and a high of 62. Lompoc will see a partly cloudy sky with a low of 41 and a high of 61. Santa Maria will be partly cloudy with a low of 38 and a high of 61.

And a partly cloudy sky will also be over Santa Ynez, where today’s low and high are expected to be 40 and 68 respectively.

The forecast calls for sunshine Saturday in Santa Barbara with a low of 48 and a high of 68. Lompoc will be sunny with a low of 43 and a high of 63.

Sunshine will also prevail in Santa Maria, where the weather service predicts a low of 41 and a high of 64. And Santa Ynez will be sunny with a low of 40 and high of 68.

Reservoir levels are as follows. Gibraltar is at 100.8% capacity, and the elevation is 14,000.17 feet. Lake Cachuma is at 97.5% capacity, and the elevation is 751.43 feet. Jameson is at 100.6% capacity, and the current elevation is 2,224,22 feet.

Twitchell is at 58.3% capacity, and its elevation is 625.26 feet.

In other weather-related news, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has lifted the water contact closure for Butterfly Beach within one-quarter mile of the storm drain outfall. Recent ocean water quality testing conducted by Environmental Health Services has confirmed the ocean water is now safe for recreational use in this area following recent sewage impacts. email: kzehnder@newpress.com