3rd Storm May Keep the Rain Coming

Ventura County escaped the worst of the season’s second storm Tuesday, but a third could bring more precipitation later this week, according to the National Weather Service.

Expecting a storm to sweep in Tuesday night, meteorologists issued a flash flood warning for Ventura and other Southern California counties at 3 p.m. As the storm’s center veered south and west of the area, however, the weather service canceled the flood warning.

High surf is expected at area beaches, particularly during the 7 a.m. high tide, which will top 6.4 feet, and showers could fall countywide until early afternoon.

“With the winds associated with this storm, it doesn’t take a very big tide to start causing some problems,” said Vladimir Ryshko, a weather service meteorologist.

Waves 7 to 9 feet high are expected at some west-facing beaches in the county, Ryshko said. The third storm, which looked as though it could reach Southern California by late Thursday, would continue to kick up high surf, he said.

Thus far, the rainy weather hitting the area has little to do with El Nino, weather forecasters say. The storms are part of the Pacific northwest storm track common at this time of year.

“It’s just a series of normal winter storms,” Ryshko said.