5,678 residents·in San Luis Obispo County·613 flood claims county-wide
From the National Weather Service, checked 1 minute ago. Every active flood alert in the U.S. →
WHAT. For the Coastal Flood Advisory, moderate coastal flooding expected. For the High Surf Advisory, large breaking waves of 10 to 16 feet with dangerous rip currents.
WHERE. San Luis Obispo County Beaches and Santa Barbara County Central Coast Beaches.
WHEN. Until 10 PM PST Monday.
IMPACTS. Moderate flooding of sea water is likely over some vulnerable low-lying coastal areas, especially around the time of high tide, including over beach parking lots, bike paths, and harbor walkways. Moderate beach erosion is likely. Isolated damage is unlikely but possible. There is an increased risk for ocean drowning. Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Large breaking waves can cause injury, wash people off beaches and rocks, and capsize small boats near shore.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS. High tides of 7.1 to 7.4 feet (MLLW) are expected each morning.
What to do.
Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property. Do NOT drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth.
Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions, or stay near occupied lifeguard towers. Rock jetties can be deadly in such conditions, stay off the rocks.
Is your address in the flood zone? Search it above for FEMA’s zone and base flood elevation. A new flood insurance policy usually takes 30 days to start (NFIP rule; exceptions include a policy bought when closing a mortgage), so one bought during a flood generally won’t cover it. Homeowners policies don’t cover flood.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Cambria CDP, California. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
The map above shows FEMA’s flood zones in and around Cambria CDP; tap any spot, or search an address, for the exact zone. FEMA’s flood insurance records are kept by county, not by city, so the numbers below are for all of San Luis Obispo County, which includes Cambria CDP.
5% of San Luis Obispo County’s area is in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones.
38% of San Luis Obispo County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
483 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In San Luis Obispo County flood insurance claims that reported a flood depth, the average was 10 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on the county’s claims (zero and implausible values left out). Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 1995, with 159 claims and $1.6M paid, the year of Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mud Flows and Severe Winter Storms, Flooding Landslides, Mud Flow.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
Full San Luis Obispo County flood history: disasters, storm reports and events →
If a building is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
The average NFIP premium across California was $1,033 a year on August 31, 2026 (premium plus the federal policy fee; the reserve fund assessment and HFIAA surcharge come on top). Risk Rating 2.0 prices each building on its own flood risk, so a quote can be far from the average.
Outside the high-risk zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Quotes: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.