Weather Service Warns Coastal Residents of Possible Flooding

Rain, high tides and heavy surf mean flooding is possible along the Ventura County coast this morning, meteorologists warned Wednesday.

“There definitely could be a problem in steeply sloping coastal areas or very, very flat coastal areas where rain accumulates,” said Vladimir Ryshko of the National Weather Service.

The Weather Service on Wednesday issued a minor-flood advisory, in part because strong Pacific Ocean storms are creating large swells and abnormally high waves, Ryshko said.

Swells could reach 30 feet and waves are expected to be 6 to 8 feet high along the coast from San Luis Obispo County to the U.S.-Mexico border. West-facing beaches very likely will have 10-foot waves, Ryshko said, noting that normal waves for this time of year run 4 to 6 feet.

At the same time, high tide--about 3 to 4 feet above normal--is expected to crest between 9 and 10 a.m., Ryshko said. Also, a rainstorm is expected to arrive by daybreak, bringing periods of heavy showers.

The Marina Park area of Ventura incurred some minor flooding when waves sent water and driftwood over a storm wall off Pierpont Boulevard earlier in the week, said Lyle Swanney, street superintendent for Ventura’s Public Works Department.

“If the waves continue to push up, we will send crews out to patrol the area for flooding” and sand-clogged storm drains, Swanney said.

The Weather Service, however, cautioned that the high tide could block runoff from draining into the ocean, regardless of whether the drains are clear.

“It’s not an emergency situation, but they [residents] certainly should be aware,” Ryshko said.

The rain is expected to taper off later today, but a stronger storm is due Saturday, and more rain is expected late Sunday or early Monday, Ryshko said. The Weather Service also anticipates that the large swells and waves will continue.