Heavy Rainfall Expected From Alaskan Storm

Forecasters expected a storm moving south from the Gulf of Alaska to hit the area early today, bringing up to two inches of rain along the coast and up to four inches in the mountains.

“This will be one of the most significant rain producers of the season,” said Clint Simpson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “Whenever you have a cold front bumping into a moist flow of air like this you’re going to get a lot of rain.”

Forecasters said the cold front moving with the storm could drop temperatures by 10 degrees or more, with nighttime lows falling to the low 40s and daytime highs to the low 60s.

Warm air from the southwest will prevent temperatures from dipping any lower, but will contribute to the amount of rainfall expected, forecasters said.

The weather service has a flash flood watch in effect, and forecasters said the rains could pose a problem in the areas where the November fires burned away vegetation.

“The risk is that the ground will become saturated, and that’s when you get the mud flows like they had in Malibu during the last rains,” Simpson said.

Although county officials said they were not anticipating any major flood problems, they were keeping a close eye on the fire-scorched areas.

“We have made sure that the people living in those areas have been made aware of the problems that can occur after a major brush fire,” said John Weikel, a senior engineer for the Ventura County Flood Control District.

On Wednesday, officials from the mountains to the sea geared up for the winter storm.

“We’re just telling people to come up here prepared for the worst,” said Don Trammell, recreation officer for the Mt. Pinos Ranger District. “We’ve got some nice cross-country skiing up here, but be careful on your drive up. When the rain and snow hit, it tends to get slick.”

Forecasters said the snow level could drop as low as 4,000 feet and a fresh blanket of up to two feet of snow could fall by the weekend.

Trammell said visitors to the mountains should wait a few days for the snow to settle so maintenance crews can clear the roads.

“This storm probably won’t interfere with traffic on Interstate 5, but the roads up to campsites and the recreation area on Mt. Pinos take two to three days to clear,” he said.

Already, area stores have received calls from skiers looking to rent equipment.

At the Sport Chalet sporting goods store in Oxnard, Chuck Dawley said he was anxious to hit the slopes.

“Any extra snow we get (from this storm) is just a bonus,” said Dawley, who is heading to Mammoth Mountain with his two children.

Just as park officials were calling for caution on mountain roads, the U.S. Coast Guard was warning boaters to avoid stormy seas.

“When the wind gets up over 15 m.p.h. the seas become very uncomfortable,” said Petty Officer Roger Fuller. “When they get up over 20 m.p.h. it gets downright dangerous.”

Winds, which are expected to be between 20 and 30 m.p.h., make waves steep enough to capsize small boats, he said, adding that the greatest danger is that the weather can turn on boaters with a sudden ferocity.

“One minute you’re out there having a fine time and the next minute the seas are kicking up all around you,” he said. “The best thing to do is stay away when storms like this are expected.”

County officials said a storm like the one expected today has been long overdue, as rainfall levels have remained well below the 30-year average.

To date this rain season, Ventura should have received about 10 inches of rain, but has had only 5.27 inches. Thousand Oaks normally has nine inches of rain by this time, but has had only 4.53 inches.

Forecasters said the bulk of this storm’s rain will drop today, leaving a chance of scattered showers for Friday and the weekend.

Photographer Alan Hagman contributed to this story.