Storm Wets Region and Raises Spirits : Weather: The front drops nearly an inch of rain in some areas. More showers are expected in the next few days. Precipitation is at 75% of normal.

Lois Quici, a Fillmore orange grower, got wet running from her car into the Ventura County Courthouse, but her spirits were not dampened Thursday.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Quici, brushing water from her trench coat. “The rain will slow down the harvest, but it’s needed right now.”

Erlinda Aguilar of Oxnard agreed. “Most everybody likes rain in this area,” she said, watching passersby scurry inside the courthouse lobby. “We’re sick of this drought.”

Intermittent showers that dropped nearly an inch of rain or more in parts of Ventura County beginning Wednesday night were expected to clear by this afternoon, said Terry Schaeffer, National Weather Service meteorologist.

“I don’t see an end to this pattern yet,” Schaeffer said, adding that he expects substantial rainstorms Sunday and Monday after partly cloudy skies Saturday.

High temperatures in the mid-60s and lows in the mid-30s are expected throughout the weekend.

The Ventura Government Center received the most rain from the storm--1.02 inches--while Simi Valley, Santa Paula and Ojai got slightly less, according to the Ventura County Flood Control District.

But recent showers have not erased the effects of 5 1/2 years of drought, said John Weikel, county hydrologist.

He added that the county has received only 75% of its normal amount of rainfall.

Last year at this time, the county had received 20% of its normal rainfall of 16 inches for the entire season.

Although this week’s rain was welcomed by many residents, it created minor havoc for others.

“It’s like people forget how to drive when it rains,” said James Kenney, senior deputy with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. He said rain-slicked streets had resulted in numerous fender-benders throughout the day.

The U. S. Coast Guard reported no storm-related incidents, but issued a small-craft advisory for the area from the Channel Islands to the Mexican border.

“Most people are staying in,” Petty Officer Stacy Greer said. “It’s been raining pretty steadily.”

The rain flooded some streets but caused no damage.

The rain has delayed the early strawberry harvest, said David Bruettner, chief deputy agricultural commissioner.

“The rain has caused some scheduling problems, but most growers are anxious to see the rain moisten the ground and penetrate the soil through the root zone,” Bruettner said.

“Until we get a little bit more rain, we won’t have a terrific advantage,” he said.

County Rainfall

Here are current rain statistics from the Ventura County Flood Control District:

Rainfall Rainfall Normal rainfall Location since Wednesday since Oct. 1 to date Camarillo 0.16 6.22 7.79 Casitas Dam 0.63 9.66 13.47 Fillmore 0.47 7.64 10.91 Moorpark 0.35 6.78 8.43 Ojai 0.87 9.47 12.04 Upper Ojai 0.67 10.30 12.95 Oxnard 0.51 7.30 8.28 Port Hueneme 0.17 6.49 8.14 Santa Paula 0.87 8.02 10.10 Simi Valley 0.87 7.66 8.09 Thousand Oaks 0.79 7.96 8.72 Ventura Govt. Center 1.02 7.27 9.16