County Braces for Big Storm

After months of dry weather, Ventura County forecasters are finally anticipating the season’s heaviest rainfall, a storm that could bring up to 2 inches of rain to mountain areas and half an inch to the coastal plain by tonight.

The expected storm, which could double the meager totals of precipitation so far this rain year, has law enforcement officials preparing for a spike in fender-benders and other traffic problems.

“Because this year’s been on the dry side, this one’s going to look pretty impressive,” said Bruce Rockwell, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

The forecast calls for an 80% chance of rain today, Rockwell said.

All coastal areas and most inland areas throughout the county saw rain last weekend, but Rockwell said the steady drizzle and damp conditions were deceptive. Rain totals ranged from just .02 of an inch in Oxnard to .06 of an inch in Ventura.

Depending on the location, rainfall in the county is 10% to 20% of normal totals for this time of year, said Gary Ryan, another meteorologist at the National Weather Service. Long-term projections show drier and warmer weather than usual for the next 90 days, he said.

The short-term forecast calls for showers to taper off this evening with almost no chance of rain Wednesday. Another storm system is expected to move into Central and Northern California on Thursday, but meteorologists don’t expect it to bring rain to Ventura County. That could change, however, Ryan said.

Today’s anticipated rain has California Highway Patrol officials braced for an increase in traffic accidents after a busy weekend. Drizzles were a factor in 28 mostly minor wrecks between Saturday and Monday, said CHP Officer David Webb. With rain dislodging long-dried oil deposits on roads, the CHP expects more accidents if heavy rains come.

“The first rainfall is the most dangerous,” Webb said.

The CHP intends to add as many as six officers to Ventura County’s highways to clear wrecks as soon as possible and encourage drivers to slow down, Webb said.

Law enforcement officials recommend motorists leave earlier for appointments, drive farther behind other cars than usual to allow extra time for stopping, and stay as far away as possible from large trucks that kick up water that could cloud visibility.

Webb also said that during rainstorms, the 65 mph speed limit does not apply--drivers must travel at speeds that are considered safe for the conditions, which are often much slower.

County fire officials are advising homeowners to clear clogged patio drains and remove debris from gutters to avoid roof damage and minor backyard floods.

“Many of the calls we go on in rainy weather, drains are clogged in patios and it runs into the house,” said Sandi Wells, a Ventura County Fire Department spokeswoman.

Fire officials are also advising people to stay out of river bottoms, which are prone to flooding.

Although the recent rain helped conclude a fire season that extended long after its usual November end date, the aftermath of a large brush fire last month could cause problems as more rain comes, officials said.

About 5% of December’s Ranch fire, which burned more than 4,000 acres north of Ojai, was in an area that got so hot the soil melted into a sort of glass that deflects rain and causes runoff, Wells said.

And much of the vegetation and root systems that hold large boulders in place have been scorched and weakened, leaving some forest roads and trails susceptible to small slides and tumbling rocks, said Mary Blair, a wildfire prevention officer for the U.S. Forest Service.

“It depends on how quickly we get [the rain],” Wells said. “If we were to get it over an eight-hour period, it could sink into the ground and run off, but if we are inundated, there could be too much water.”

For some farmers, the projected rainfall could be an annoyance, said Rex Laird, executive director of the Ventura County Farm Bureau.

Rain could inundate strawberry and vegetable fields with mud, which would delay harvesting, he said. Also, “if it’s real warm and humid [after a storm], the various molds and fungus could go nuts,” he added.

For citrus and avocado growers, the precipitation could be a blessing if it continues, Laird said. Storms are often followed by Santa Anas--strong winds blasting from the east--that cause citrus and avocado trees to release moisture into the air and draw more moisture from the ground.

So growers don’t celebrate a rainstorm until they know what weather to expect next, Laird said.

For growers, projected rainstorms are sometimes “like a hearing in Congress to talk about a tax cut,” he said. “When it does happen, it doesn’t really amount to much.”