Photo courtesy of The Tribune

  Winter weather had felt delayed in 2021, as the hot sunny weather stayed throughout the fall. Rain only came to SLO just before the start of winter. Even though northern California had gotten small amounts of precipitation earlier, it wasn’t a very notable amount.

  While the rain came late, it created a large storm that caused flooding and road closures. In San Luis Obispo particularly, Highway 101 was closed due to the road being covered in 1-2 feet of water. This was caused by a storm drain being blocked by debris.

  For those looking to travel to or from SLO on the days that it was closed, they had to find alternate routes through town to get around the closed highway. If they were also traveling north through the Sierra Nevadas, the highways were closed there as well. Dangerous winter storms were dumping more snow on the roads than Caltrans could handle, causing the closures.

  Even if SLOHS students weren’t traveling during the storms, it was still possible to be affected by the weather.

  “I was supposed to receive a mattress for the holidays, but it was a little late,” said sophomore Leslie Hancock. Their online delivery was delayed, likely due to poor road conditions or Highway 101 closing.

  The cause of this sudden and large storm appears to be due to a polar jet stream coming from Alaska. It warmed the air in Alaska, causing the precipitation to accumulate. As the storms moved south, they then dumped the extra rain and snow all over the west coast.

  These recent events show that unexpected weather can lead to extreme changes at any time. As winter continues, students in SLO should be aware of the changing weather. New drivers be extra cautious, as slippery roads lead to more dangerous driving conditions.