High Wind Watch Issued As Heavy Rains Move In: Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Rain and snow showers fell along the Central Coast on the morning of Black Friday as the season's first atmospheric river — like a river in the sky — crept toward the Bay Area. The National Weather Service issued a high wind watch for Santa Cruz County and other parts of the greater Bay Area region ahead of the incoming storm.

NWS forecast southeast winds from 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. It warned that winds could knock down trees and power lines, possibly causing outages, and travel would be especially difficult for high-profile vehicles.

The atmospheric river was forecast to start impacting the region midday Saturday and into early next week, bringing strong winds and heavy rains that could intensify as soon as sunset Saturday, NWS forecast.

Temperatures in the Santa Cruz and Salinas Valley hit in the low- to mid-30s Friday morning, and temperatures were slightly higher along the Monterey Peninsula, where Friday morning saw highs in the upper 30s, NWS said. Temperatures were expected to warm up during the week.

Read more about atmospheric rivers here and the weekend forecast here.