SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — A developing quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) is advancing toward the Central and Southern California coastline, placing areas from San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara to Ventura, Los Angeles and Long Beach under a risk for strong winds and a brief isolated tornado or waterspout.
The line of thunderstorms is approaching from the west over the Pacific, with embedded kinks suggesting localized rotation within the broader squall line.
Line of Thunderstorms Moving Toward the Coast
Radar imagery shows a consolidated band of heavy showers and thunderstorms stretching southward just offshore of San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria, extending toward the waters west of Santa Barbara and Ventura.
This line is characteristic of a QLCS — a fast-moving band of storms capable of producing straight-line wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph. These winds can cause downed tree limbs, localized power outages and hazardous driving conditions, especially along coastal highways…