Strong Gusts Reported in Parts of County

Blustery winds blew across Ventura County on Tuesday, with gusts of more than 40 m.p.h. reported in some areas.

“It’s been blowing a good 20 knots and gusting to 30 knots most of the day,” said Jim Chase, deputy harbor master for the Ventura Port District.

Because of the winds and a small-craft advisory posted in the waters off Ventura as of 10 a.m., Chase said few ventured out of the harbor.

“We saw a few fishing boats go out and they’ve returned,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “There’s not one boat to be seen outside the harbor now, they’re just staying in.”

In Simi Valley, the wind caused city officials to close a temporary collection center set up outside City Hall so residents could drop off quake-related debris.

“Basically, there was just a lot of lightweight debris blowing onto people trying to drop things off and out into the street,” Assistant City Manager Mike Sedell said. “The wind was so strong that we felt for safety reasons it would be best to close it down and refer people to the (Simi Valley) landfill.”

Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said gusts of 43 m.p.h. were reported in Camarillo, with winds in the 30s reported across most of the county.

The strong air currents were caused by the combination of a high pressure system parked over the Southwest and low pressure off the coast. As the high pressure system weakened late Tuesday, Wofford said, the winds were expected to die down.

Commuter air service out of Oxnard Airport was not affected by the gusts, officials said, but many recreational fliers found themselves grounded.

“There’s nobody flying today, it’s bumpy and it’s just no fun,” said Jack Felker, Santa Paula Airport manager. “We like to fly on nice, sunny days--smooth days.”

Bob Sheldon, owner of Bob’s Tree Service in Simi Valley, said the wind forced him to cancel many of his appointments because of safety concerns.

“You could be working underneath a dangerous tree,” Sheldon said. “The wind might torque a branch and it’ll come down on top of you.”

Still, Sheldon wasn’t complaining.

“This creates work for us in the long run, but it messes up our schedule for today,” he said. “It’s just too windy. My crew gets nervous with the gusty winds, so we don’t get too much accomplished.”