UPDATE 1/15/19 6 P.M. Santa Barbara County has now lifted the evacuation orders issued on Jan. 14.
According to the county's office of emergency services, "the National Weather Service has advised that critical rain rates did not materialize over the area as expected. Showers are expected through late Tuesday night, but rainfall is not anticipated to reach critical levels to cause debris flows. However, a high surf advisory remains in effect until 8 p.m. Friday, January 18."
ORIGINAL STORY PUBLISHED 1/14/19: First major storm of 2019 prompts evacuation orders
In Santa Barbara County, residents in Montecito, Carpinteria and Goleta are being directed to leave their homes and neighborhoods between now and Tuesday morning due to incoming storms. Rainfall rates are expected to be high enough to potentially trigger debris flows.
On Monday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office ordered the evacuations, which officially go into effect Tuesday at 10 a.m. Only portions of the greater Santa Barbara area are subject to the evacuations, and apply to areas near and below the Sherpa, Whittier and Thomas fire burn areas.
Visit the website ReadySBC.org for complete information and evacuation maps. A Red Cross center is opening for evacuees at the Goleta Valley Community Center in Goleta.
The County Call Center phone number is (833) 688-5551.
