April Fools’ Day Leaves County All Wet From Afternoon Storm

A chilly Pacific storm that played a wet April Fool’s joke on Ventura County on Monday is expected to clear out this morning, with mostly sunny skies by this afternoon, forecasters said.

The southern edge of the storm passed through the county Monday afternoon, dropping an average of a quarter-inch of rain in most areas, said Curtis Brack, a meteorologist for WeatherData Inc., which forecasts for The Times.

The Upper Ojai Valley received some of the heaviest rainfall, said John Weikel of the county’s Flood Control Department.

Casitas Dam, Matilija Dam and the Upper Ojai Valley all recorded about a half-inch of rain, Weikel said.

The rain was not enough to bring total rainfall for the season up to normal levels, Weikel said.

“But at least,” Weikel said, “the hills will stay green for a few more weeks.”

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County Rainfall

Here are rainfall figures from the Ventura County Flood Control Department for the 24-hour period ending at 6 p.m. Monday . Oct. 1 is the beginning of the official rain year.

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Rainfall Rainfall Normal rainfall Location last 24 hours since Oct. 1 to date Camarillo 0.20 9.52 12.00 Casitas Dam 0.43 16.91 20.83 Casitas Rec. Center 0.47 15.75 21.03 Fillmore 0.16 13.80 16.97 Matilija Dam 0.51 19.84 23.72 Moorpark 0.16 11.39 13.08 Upper Ojai 0.55 14.93 20.68 Oxnard 0.55 10.36 12.99 Piru 0.16 10.98 15.29 Port Hueneme 0.24 8.35 12.55 Santa Paula 0.28 12.70 15.90 Simi Valley 0.12 10.64 12.78 Thousand Oaks 0.24 11.30 13.65 Ventura Govt. Center 0.24 12.06 14.47

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