Fast Lane Slowed by Storm

A storm system hovering off the Channel Islands pumped a steady band of moderate to heavy rain across Ventura County on Friday, creating a rash of vehicle accidents, routine street flooding and dense mountain fog.

An urban and small stream flood advisory stayed in effect throughout the day, with a late-morning downpour in Santa Paula dumping about half an inch of rain in an hour.

But by late afternoon, Casitas Lake was the county’s top rain spot with 1.7 inches. Rain totals across the remainder of the county ranged from about half an inch in Simi Valley to 1 inch in Ventura.

The rain was expected to taper off Friday night, leaving a 10% chance of rain this morning. Forecasters predicted mostly cloudy skies with a chance of showers throughout the day, and partly cloudy skies on Sunday.

Streams and flood control channels easily weathered the storm Friday, even at the scene of last year’s Hopper Canyon fire near Piru, where a 3-foot-high wall of mud and ash surged downstream during a late-morning downpour.

“As far as the channels go, we’ve had some small rises, but nothing to scare us,” said Dolores Taylor, senior hydrologist with the Ventura County Flood Control Department.

The storms made driving difficult on many roadways throughout the day.

Although no major injuries were reported, firefighters and highway patrol officers kept busy with the usual bevy of fender benders and vehicle rollovers on county roadways.

The storm originated in the central Pacific Ocean. Described as a typical midwinter storm, the system passed to the east at about 20 mph. Rainfall extended from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Even if the rain was typical, Mark Marcoccia of Simi Valley likes his Southern California warm and sunny.

“I know I shouldn’t complain, but the rain always seems to make everything more difficult,” he said between shopping errands. “Everyone drives so much slower.”

Unfortunately, not everyone does, said California Highway Patrol Officer Dave Cockrill.

“Gee, I wish that was the problem,” Cockrill said. “He ought to talk to those people that wiped out today.”

High speeds on the slick roads caused numerous vehicle spin-outs and a handful of rollovers, Cockrill said.

The most serious crash resulted in a driver suffering cuts that required stitches on his scalp after he lost control of his car while traveling westbound on California 126 at Briggs Road near Santa Paula.

“For a rain day, it was pretty routine,” Cockrill said.

The same held true for public works crews across the county, many of whom spent the day rolling around town doing little more than keeping debris from storm grates and gutters.

“We’re in great shape,” said Dave Pimentel, construction inspection supervisor for the city of Thousand Oaks. “Our storm drain system couldn’t be working any better.”

And although the rain and drizzle may have been a headache for some commuters, the storm was met by others with wide smiles.

“There’s going to be snow,” said Dawn Terselle of Thousand Oaks, who planned a trip to Big Bear today for a weekend of skiing. “I’m probably the only one who’s praying for more.”

Meanwhile, authorities say the weather, and an empty stomach, may have resulted in a seal pup’s beaching itself near the Ventura Harbor on Friday. The pup apparently tried to wander across Spinnaker Drive toward the harbor.

“The mother seals search for food, but because of El Nino there isn’t as much food out there,” said Deputy Pay Hummer of the Ventura Harbor Master’s office. “Because of the lack of food, instead of being gone for a few hours, the mother seals are gone for a few days.”

Authorities searched for the seal but were unable to locate it.

A worker welding pipe as part of the harbor dredging project said a man with a dog chased the seal back to the ocean.

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Times correspondent Scott Steepleton contributed to this story.