Tri-county is bombarded by second wave of storm
Note: This article has been updated to include information on Santa Barbara Airport.
Continued storming throughout the tri-counties on Jan. 9 has forced highway closures, multiple evacuation warnings and school closures for the following day.
Also, the Santa Barbara Airport announced late Jan. 9 that it is closed due to flooding. All commercial flights are canceled until further notice, the airport said in a statement.
Currently, there are hard closures in place for Highway 101 from near Carpinteria through Montecito to the Cabrillo Boulevard area in Santa Barbara, according to the California Highway police.
Northbound Highway 101 is closed at Mariposa Reina in Gaviota because of debris flow to the north, said the CHP.
Additionally, State Route 154 has been closed between State Route 246 in the Santa Ynez Valley and State Route 192 in Santa Barbara because of multiple rockslides in the area, making it more dangerous.
Highway 101 is closed on northbound Highway 101 at Highway 33 in Ventura, according to CHP.
Nearly every city in SLO County is seeing road closures as large stretches of Highway 101 has been shut down, according to the CHP.
There are no estimated times for reopening.
Santa Barbara County officials ordered evacuations for the entire Montecito community due to the threat of flash floods.
The evacuation orders are in effect immediately for Montecito; Toro Canyon; Padaro Lane; Sycamore Canyon; Old San Marcos Pass area below Painted Cave; Via Real between Highway 101 and Santa Claus Lane in the Carpinteria Valley; and campgrounds at Gaviota, El Capitan, Refugio and Carpinteria state beaches.
In SLO County, Paso Robles ordered an evacuation as the Salinas River continues to rise while another evacuation order for individuals near the Arroyo Grande Creek Channel was also issued.
The rain is expected to continue, and the Arroyo Grande Creek Channel is full and beginning to overtop the south levee. Residents south of the Arroyo Grande Creek Channel are urged to seek higher ground immediately.
Additional storm shelters have also been opened in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.
UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly both canceled classes on Jan. 9 and have already announced they will be canceling classes on Jan. 10.
The Santa Barbara Unified School District also announced it would be canceling classes on Jan. 10.
