Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports title=
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports
Local News
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(photo: Mike Eliason)

Edhat readers share their photos, videos, and reports from the intense storm that hit Santa Barbara on March 5, 2019. See them all below!

By Mike Eliason of Santa Barbara County Fire Department

Lightning strikes in the skies above Santa Barbara, CA, March 5, 2019, as seen in these views from Stearns Wharf.

Photo by @colinmccrindle

By an edhat reader

We set up a tripod on the roof and took a few hundred pics and selected the best to give to you. I am 12 years old and love photography. 

  

By Sophie Cameron (daughter of HolaZola)

Lightning In Paradise, so photos shot from Goleta.

Photos by Yesenia Thomas

Captured from the top of Old San Marcos.

Video by Mark W.

By an edhat reader

Lightning in Isla Vista, Platform Holly hit. Monster cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning seen from Isla Vista.

Video by Sara G.

Video by Rey H.

Lightning strike near Mussel Shoals

Reported by edhat readers

  • Is anyone else hearing that roaring thunder? We're on the westside and its every few minutes, getting deeper and almost rattling our windows.

  • Intense lightning off the water.

  • Strong winds and hail off Painted Cave.

  • Lights flickering, some houses dark, off State and Sola Streets.

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130 Comments

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a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 10:26 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

long line of thunder storms out over the ocean and coming toward us for several more hours of thunder, lightening and periods of heavy rain. was on Ketnews live with radar. Also the real time lightening map shows very clearly the line of storms. Its not over yet...

John Wiley
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Mar 05, 2019 10:05 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

We need to stay vigilant, but all the info I'm seeing seems to indicate we may be through the most intense rain. Does anyone have current sources showing otherwise?

yin yang
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Mar 05, 2019 10:23 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

That was about 9 audible strikes in less than 20 seconds... No accompanying downpours though. Windy forecast about a half inch between midnight and 3 a.m.

Shasta Guy
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Mar 05, 2019 10:17 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

You may be right. At https://rain.cosbpw.net the rain gauges above Montecito show less the 0.2”/hr accumulation rate, so hopefully we’ll all dodge a bullet tonight as a community

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 10:14 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

I'm just following everything that's been linked here & hoping for best for burn scar areas and residents. Not sure what to think of this NWS forecast for Montecito (MONTECITO #2 (MOIC1)): "Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall." Of course all the warnings and watches are highlighted! I just got a kick out of "possibly a thunderstorm."

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 09:44 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

Ooh, Right on the coast! The inherent, mind-boggling power of lightning is further illustrated when you compare the distance away and effect you see and hear and feel.

John Wiley
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Mar 05, 2019 09:30 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

Hope the relatively brief squalls we've been seeing here ([email protected]) are similar elsewhere, and that we don't see longer or even heavier ones as the night unfolds. So far that looks to be the case on radar... (fingers crossed)

4358ed
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Mar 05, 2019 09:28 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

Amazing display! We saw a bolt of lightning hit a palm tree on Hollister next to Big Brand Tires - It looked like a Roman Candle! Thanks for posting such great photo's.

Shasta Guy
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Mar 05, 2019 09:28 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

I second Two Scoops Motion. Get to a safe place while you still can if you are in a debris flow zone. There are still strong bands offshore coming our way.

Shasta Guy
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Mar 05, 2019 09:13 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

Nature is playing for keeps tonight. Flash Flood Warning Flash Flood Warning CAC083-111-060630- /O.NEW.KLOX.FF.W.0012.190306T0507Z-190306T0630Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED Flash Flood Warning National Weather Service OXNARD CA 907 PM PST TUE MAR 5 2019 The National Weather Service in OXNARD has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... THE Thomas Burn Area IN Western Ventura County in southwestern California... Southeastern Santa Barbara County in southwestern California... * Until 1030 PM PST. * At 904 PM PST, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms with very heavy rain with rates up to near 0.20 inches in 7 minutes about to move into the Thomas burn area. Flash flooding and debris flows are expected to begin shortly. * Some locations that will experience flooding include... The Thomas Burn area including M

John Wiley
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Mar 05, 2019 10:09 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

I wonder if they do have cat tonics. Seriously tho, hope you both come thru this ok and that tomorrow dawns bright and calm.

Shasta Guy
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Mar 05, 2019 09:52 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

My little doggy is keeping herself buried under her blanket. I haven’t checked on my cats. One of them is a permanent scaredy-cat so she probably hasn’t moved from under the bed where she spends a lot of her life.

yin yang
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Mar 05, 2019 09:51 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

I empathize. Would cat take comfort from you? Had a dog who bloodied himself tearing at doors to get away, but wouldn't open his eyes for thunder if I was with him. My current cat is so bonded and loves affection so much that she came to me. But she's not freaking out, just unsettled. And you're a lot closer to the storm. If you need comfort... She'll be fine, you have to let her be. Which would be painfully hard for me. Or you could sit by her and just talk, I did that a few times during the thunder.

John Wiley
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Mar 05, 2019 09:31 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

Does the defensive position convey a clear warning against putting your hand under the bed, or is it just hiding in terror?

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 08:53 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

At 8:51pm, Daniel Swain.Verified account @Weather_West.19m19 minutes ago. "Line of very intense thunderstorms about to slam Santa Barbara. Appears to be associated with bow echo signature on radar, so damaging winds possible in addition to continuous lightning and torrential rainfall. Pretty wild for these parts..". #CAwx

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 10:14 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

While there was a marine warning about possible waterspouts in the channel, of all the warnings for land related "alerts" - which included thunder, lightening, potential heavy downpours, flash flooding, hail and high winds, there was no warning about microbursts or tornadoes so, no there wasn't anything about tornadoes. We had a microburst several years ago that injured some, one girl seriously, so perhaps someone was worried that once things reached land that could happen but there was no "warning" about that.

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 09:53 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

Um yeah, exactly the reason for my original question - why did someone post about tornadoes and where to take cover in one's house. Pay attention.

yin yang
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Mar 05, 2019 08:45 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

This is so informative and amazing (and cool): Real Time Lightning Map (Thanks, poster!) Interesting for SB to be the focal point of CA coastal weather. N. CA sure needs a break. _____________________________ Strokes of the last 60 minutes are shown. The real-time data comes directly from the computing servers of Blitzortung.org, which are fed by hundreds of stations on several continents. The delay is calculated from the time stamps of each strokes compared to the current time. Legend: New lightning strikes have a red circle which gets smaller and disappears when it gets older than 60 seconds. The color of filled circles represent the age of strikes up to 60 minutes. New strikes are yellow. The older they get, the darker the color. Dark brown is equal to almost 60 minutes. Those strikes will vanish soon. On higher zoom levels the thunder front of current strikes is shown as white transparent growing circle (speed of sound). It gets more transparent while travelling and disappears after a while. IMPORTANT: This map is intended for entertainment purposes only! _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________https://www.lightningmaps.org/#m=oss;t=3;s=0;o=0;b=;ts=1;z=11;y=34.3959;x=-119.7473;d=2;dl=2;dc=0;

Shasta Guy
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Mar 05, 2019 08:40 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

That big blob in the channel could be a big problem. Make sure you’re safe. Flood Advisory National Weather Service OXNARD CA 830 PM PST TUE MAR 5 2019 CAC079-083-060730- /O.NEW.KLOX.FA.Y.0055.190306T0430Z-190306T0730Z/ /00000.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ Santa Barbara CA-San Luis Obispo CA- 830 PM PST TUE MAR 5 2019 The National Weather Service in OXNARD has issued a * Flood Advisory for... Santa Barbara County in southwestern California... Southern San Luis Obispo County in southwestern California... * Until 1130 PM PST. * At 822 PM PST, National Weather Service Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated moderate to heavy rain with embedded thunderstorms moving over Santa Barbara County this evening. Rainfall rates between 0.33 to 0.50 inch per hour have been observed. Roadway flooding and flooding of small creeks and streams is likely. Minor mud and debris are possible near the Thomas, Whittier and Sherpa burn areas. * Some locations that will experience flooding include... Santa Maria... Santa Barbara...Lompoc...Montecito...Santa Ynez... Carpinteria...Solvang...Cuyama...Goleta...Guadalupe...Buellton... and the Thomas...Whittier and Sherpa burn areas.

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 08:49 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

When is the big blob going to hit? I was thinking about taking a drive down towards the water to experience it but maybe it's too risky.

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 08:34 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

If you need to take cover inside your home because of winds or tornado, go in your closet and put pillow over your head. Stay away from glass/windows, flying debris of any kind. Other option is get in bathtub and put mattress over you.

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 08:26 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

I forgot the exact time, but in the late 4 p.m. hour? It was as dark as 5 p.m., some showers, then the sun came out and a stunning complete rainbow was visible (from San Roque)? That was so beautiful. Others must have seen it, no?

a-1591109700
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Mar 05, 2019 08:25 PM
Lightning, Hail, and Power Outage Reports

Thanks for all the links! If this comes over my head or even close, I'll be buried under the covers, almost certainly with my cat. :-) Ah, rain starting up again.

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