at 1 pm, Monday CT issued their news release re the Sat nite slip out:

Today’s Date: Monday, February 8, 2010
District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa
Cruz Counties

Contact: Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones
Phone: (805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3189
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHBOUND LANE OF HWY. 1 CLOSED SOUTH OF LUCIA

MONTEREY COUNTY – The southbound lane of Hwy. 1 south of Lucia is closed for approximately 200 feet due to storm related damage to the shoulder of the highway. The northbound lane of traffic remains open.

Temporary guardrail has been placed along the shoulder of the southbound lane with stop signs on either end. Motorists will use one-way reversing traffic control via stop signs which will be in place 24/7 until further notice.

Motorists can expect a minimal delay.

All businesses in the area remain open to the public.

From NOAA discussion: “DISCUSSION…AS OF 3:00 AM PST MONDAY… EARLY MORNING SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS A COMPACT AND COOL WEATHER SYSTEM SPINNING OFF THE COAST OF THE PAC NW. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT AND ALL DROP THIS SYSTEM TO THE SSE OVER THE NEXT
48 HOURS… THE AIRMASS WILL BECOME UNSTABLE ON TUESDAY. THE NAM FORECASTS SFC-BASED CAPE OF NEARLY 300 J/KG JUST OFF THE MONTEREY COUNTY COAST AT 18Z TUESDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE…AND SMALL HAIL IS LIKELY IN HEAVIER SHOWERS. RAINFALL TOTALS THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING AS FORECAST BY THE CNRFC ARE IN THE ONE-TENTH TO HALF INCH RANGE…WITH HEAVIEST AMOUNTS IN THE SANTA CRUZ AND SANTA LUCIA MOUNTAIN RANGES….[and] A SNOW LEVEL OF BETWEEN 2000 AND 2500 FEET. AN INCH OR TWO OF SNOW MAY ACCUMULATE ABOVE 2500 FEET IN THE MOUNTAINS FROM SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SOUTH ON TUESDAY.”

Woohoo! Looks like I might have snow on tomorrow!