A flood watch has been issued for all of Santa Barbara County starting Tuesday night and lasting until Friday morning as the first atmospheric river of the season is approaching the Central Coast and heavy rains are expected over the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.
The Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management sent out an alert early Tuesday warning residents to “stay away from rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.”
For those living in areas prone to flooding, officials recommended staying alert to changing conditions and being prepared to take protective actions, “such as going to the innermost room of your home or to higher ground such as a second floor,” the county said in the ReadySBC alert .