County in Path of Winds, Storm Front

Ventura County may experience a strange convergence of both fire and ice this weekend, as forecasters say an early winter storm front may pass through the county just as dry desert winds begin to gust again.

Strong northwesterly winds of up to 46 mph should continue to blow across the county today, said Vladimir Ryshko, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

By tonight the front could bring snow to the mountains around Ventura County, where temperatures could drop into the low 30s, Ryshko said.

Deputies at the Lockwood Valley sheriff’s station said they had not heard about the forecast, but were always ready for the cold and snow.

“Hey, if it snows, we’ll just put our boots on, bundle up and go out and do our job,” Senior Deputy Elmo Sheeran said.

By late Sunday the winds are expected to change direction as the storm front passes through California. Forecasters say conditions look ripe for a repeat of last week’s Santa Anna winds, producing strong, dry gusts out of the east.

The Ventura County Fire Department is ready to go on heightened alert if the winds begin to blow, department spokeswoman Sandi Wells said.

“They are expected to be cold winds but when the humidity drops those are prime conditions for a fire,” Wells said.

There already is a team of firefighters patrolling the county in case of wildfire, and three firefighting helicopters are loaded with water and ready to fly from the Camarillo Airport, officials said.

If an alert is called, all vacations will be canceled and the department will keep at least half its firefighters on duty, Wells said.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department on Friday put itself on a 24-hour alert patrol for any suspicious activity in high fire-risk areas, officials said.

* FORECAST

Weather break possible. A1