Southland Wetter Than Seattle, and Rain Far From Over

The rain that fell across an already drenched Southland on Monday triggered small landslides and flooded low-lying intersections, and forecasters said more is on its way, off and on, throughout the week and into the weekend.

Meteorologists said the continuing wet weather, which has pushed rainfall totals well above average for this time of year, is the result of a dip south in high-altitude jet stream winds that are funneling the Pacific storm track directly into Southern California. The National Weather Service said 0.62 of an inch of rain fell in downtown Los Angeles in the 24 hours that ended at 4 p.m. Monday. That’s more than fell in proverbially soggy Seattle during the same period, but the Weather Service could not say exactly how much more.

Most of Ventura County received about 2 inches of rain over the weekend and into Monday. Local authorities handled at least 100 weather-related accidents throughout the weekend.

Runoff flooded several streets in Ventura County, but the region’s $220-million strawberry crop was not damaged because the rain fell slowly and steadily, allowing fields to drain. Officials said above-average rainfall over the last six weeks has been a blessing to the county’s $1-billion agriculture industry.

Dolores Taylor, senior hydrologist for the county, said that when the ground reaches its saturation point, which usually occurs after 10 to 14 inches of rain, the soil can give way and cause landslides.

Almost every city in Ventura County has gotten more than 10 inches this rain season, with both Santa Paula and Fillmore receiving more than 17 inches. But Taylor said a storm like the one this weekend--constant but never a downpour--gives the ground a chance to absorb most of the water.

“Right now, the flood channels are accumulating water shortly after it starts to rain instead of soaking up the water like a giant dry sponge,” she said.

Bruce Rockwell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said last weekend’s storm moved fairly quickly through Ventura County, leaving most of its rain in Los Angeles.

“To sum up January and February, it’s been cooler and wetter than normal,” Rockwell said. “Three years ago we had a lot of rain, and this is similar to that.”

Forecasters said there’s a chance of more rain showers today and Wednesday. Thursday should be dry, but another powerful storm system is expected Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

If next weekend’s storm is similar to the one just ended, Ventura County shouldn’t have much of a problem with flooding or landslides. But if the county receives 2 inches in just a few hours, it may be cause for concern.

National Weather Service meteorologist Tim McClung said the rain last weekend came from a large storm that moved slowly down the coast, spinning off waves of moisture that moved onshore as rain and snow. That storm had stalled off Southern California on Monday, but was continuing to deliver bands of showers that were expected to continue into Wednesday.

“Then, perhaps, on Thursday, as that storm finally moves east, we’ll have a day of decent weather,” McClung said. “But extended computer models show other storms lined up to hit us.”

The meteorologist said that as spring approaches, the storms are getting warmer.

“The snow levels should be about 6,000 feet, which means more mountain roads will be clear, and it’ll be easier for skiers to get there,” he said. “But warmer air can hold more water, so that means more rain.”

Officials said a man apparently jumped into the rain-swollen Los Angeles River in Reseda at about 2:30 p.m. Monday despite warnings by firefighters to stay away from the water. They said the man swam about two blocks before the firefighters, part of a swift water rescue detail assigned to watch for such incidents, fished him out.

The man’s life was never in danger, officials said. After medical personnel determined that he wasn’t hurt, he was turned over to police for questioning. His name was not released.

On Monday, the heaviest rain fell before dawn, setting off a slide on a hillside in Torrance that shattered windows and dumped mud into the kitchen of a home in the 2500 block of Pacific Coast Highway.

A section of the highway was closed into Huntington Beach when runoff flooded several intersections.

The California Highway Patrol said there were 74 traffic accidents during the morning commute in Los Angeles County, about twice the usual number; no one was killed.

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Staff writers Carol Chambers and Roberto J. Manzano and correspondent Catherine Blake contributed to this story.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

County Rainfall

Here are rainfall figures for the Ventura County Flood Control Division for the 24-hour period ending at 8 a.m. Monday. Oct. 1 is the beginning of the official rain year.

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Rainfall Rainfall Rainfall Normal last since since rainfall Location 24 hours Saturday Oct. 1 to date Camarillo 1.44 1.90 10.57 9.41 Casitas Dam 0.89 2.23 19.17 16.75 Casitas Rec. Center 0.89 2.24 18.88 16.90 Fillmore 1.60 2.70 17.35 13.55 Matilija Dam 0.91 2.55 22.41 19.26 Moorpark 1.26 1.85 10.61 10.27 Ojai 0.40 1.31 16.58 15.15 Upper Ojai 0.87 2.01 19.62 16.44 Oxnard 1.37 2.00 12.25 10.33 Piru 1.30 1.72 11.65 12.06 Port Hueneme 1.09 1.98 9.54 10.12 Santa Paula 1.42 2.53 17.25 12.70 Simi Valley 1.73 2.24 12.71 9.94 Thousand Oaks 1.50 2.01 12.11 10.76 Ventura Govt. Center 1.33 1.84 14.99 11.41

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