New Year’s brings freezing temperatures

December 31, 2014

Central Coast residents must brave cold, frost, ice and even snow for outdoor celebrations of the New Year.

Northern Santa Barbara County’s Cuyama Valley received several inches of snow Tuesday, and officials had to briefly shut down a stretch of Highway 166 in the evening. Santa Barbara County firefighters posted several photos of snow in the area on the fire department’s Facebook page, some of which showed snow landing on county roads.

In Northern San Luis Obispo County, temperatures are expected to drop into the low 20s and possibly dip into the teens on New Year’s Eve, according to The National Weather Service. Frost is expected and officials are warning of icy sidewalks and roads.

Several car accidents have already occurred along the Central Coast in the past few days due, at least in part, to icy conditions.

New Year’s Eve temperatures in the city of San Luis Obispo are also expected to fall into freezing range, but the likely will not drop below the high 20s. The New Year’s Day forecast is temperatures in the low to high 50s throughout San Luis Obispo County.