Surprise Santa Anas Send Thousands to the Sand and Surf

A blast of hot air from the desert brought thousands of visitors to the beaches Friday and should continue to deliver some of the year’s warmest temperatures to Ventura County for the holiday weekend.

“What we have is a Santa Ana condition typical of late fall and winter, but from my recollection pretty unusual this type of year,” said Bruce Rockwell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “If you like warm, dry weather it’s going to be gorgeous.”

Today is expected to be almost as warm as Friday, when the mercury hit the high 80s inland and the low 80s along the coast. Diminishing winds and a gradual cooling trend will send temperatures closer to normal levels beginning Sunday.

While the heat hasn’t set any records, it was enough to make it a really good Good Friday for thousands of people who clogged freeways to get a jump on the weekend. Many of them ended up on Ventura’s beaches.

“I can’t decide what’s going to be more fun: going on my motorcycle this weekend or coming down here,” said Chris Austin, 39, of Thousand Oaks, as he sat on the sand at San Buenaventura State Beach blowing up a beach ball that almost dwarfed daughter Jordan, 2. “I love the Santa Anas.”

Kirk Sturm, a lifeguard supervisor at the state beach, said Friday’s large crowds prompted officials to double the usual complement of lifeguards this weekend.

“Our beaches are a lot cleaner this year, there was less storm damage,” he said. “So maybe the nice weather combined with cleaner beaches enticed people to come to the beach.”

Beachgoers welcomed the warm breezes, especially with the water temperature at 60 degrees--about six degrees colder than the summer peak. Still that didn’t stop Tyler Hatton, 11, of Bakersfield from spending an hour boogie boarding.

“The water is a little bit cold, but you get used to it,” he said.

Campgrounds are quickly filling up along the beach and at Lake Casitas, where rangers are expecting thousands of visitors Easter Sunday.

“Sunday is our biggest single day of the year,” Ranger Brent Doan said. “It beats July 4, Memorial Day or any other holiday. . . .People are ready to get out in the fresh air and typically at this time of year we have outstanding weather.”