More Heavy Rain Expected Tonight

After a brief reprieve from rain, another storm is expected to hit Ventura County tonight, bringing as much as 2 inches in coastal areas and up to 5 inches in the mountains through Sunday.

Cloudy skies are forecast for this morning, with a 50% chance of showers this afternoon and heavy rain with 15 to 20 mph winds expected by 9 p.m., said National Weather Service meteorologist Curt Kaplan. Temperatures are expected to range from highs in the 60s to lows in the 40s.

An 80% chance of rain is forecast all day Sunday, with heaviest downpours expected about 6 a.m., Kaplan said.

Swells of up to 4 feet are expected today in Ventura and up to 5 feet Sunday.

Ventura County Flood Control crews are braced for a predawn deluge that could flood streets and freeways, the department’s spokeswoman Dolores Taylor said.

“We would rather people stay home on Sunday,” she said.

Taylor said she is worried about flooding near the Ventura River, along burned areas and newly developed neighborhoods.

Forecasts call for 1 to 2 inches of rain along the coast and 3 to 5 inches in the mountains.

Showers are expected to linger through Monday.