Less rain falls than expected, but more on the way
A storm Tuesday didn’t bring the severe flooding and debris flows that had been feared for areas burned in recent wildfires. But heavier rain is expected later in the week.
National Weather Service meteorologist Kathy Hoxsie said the storm moved in a different pattern than originally forecast, significantly decreasing the rainfall totals.
“We were expecting a ton of rain,” Hoxsie said.
Forecasters expected 1.5 to 3 inches of rain to fall, but the reality was an inch or less, Hoxsie said. Rain was expected to continue into the evening before tapering off and starting up again with moderate showers on Wednesday afternoon.
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As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Simi Valley had recorded the most local rainfall during the storm at 1.56 inches, according to data from the Ventura County Watershed Protection District. Matilija Canyon was the next highest at 1.53 inches. Other rainfall totals included 1.24 inches in Santa Paula, 0.9 inches in Port Hueneme, 0.77 inches in Ojai and 0.67 inches in Camarillo. The totals were for a 24-hour period that began at 3 p.m. Monday.
Getting ready for the storm
Although heavy rain didn’t impact Ventura County on Tuesday afternoon, the region did prepare for it.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued Tuesday morning for places scorched by the Thomas, Woolsey and Hill fires. If the weather had behaved according to what was forecast, life and property could have been at at risk, said Kevin McGowan, manager of the Ventura County Office of Emergency Services.
By Tuesday night however, many mandatory evacuation areas were downgraded to voluntary evacuation areas, including Bell Canyon, Oak Park and the Vista Fire burn area. Santa Barbara County lifted mandatory evacuation orders that drove thousands of people from Montecito and surrounding areas.
One of the concerns officials had was the possibility of rain falling at a rate of 1.25 inches per hour, McGowan said. For a first-year burn area, such as the one left by the Woolsey Fire, a rainfall rate of half an inch is a significant impact, McGowan said.
Some schools in the Ventura Unified School District were also closed due to the weather.
But for some in the evacuation areas, the decision to leave was not so simple.
Ken Whitteker said he didn’t think he’d leave his home alongside Matilija Canyon Creek despite a mandatory order to do so.
“Because if you run away from the place you live in, why are you living there? I love it up here so much. This is just part of it,” Whitteker said.
Bands of rain had made their way into Ventura County by late morning but meteorologists expected the heaviest rain between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. But that didn’t happen.
Based on forecasts, mandatory evacuations were ordered about 10:30 a.m. for unincorporated areas of Thousand Oaks, the South Coast of Ventura County, the Malibu community and the Matilija, Wheeler Springs and North Fork areas extending along Oso Road. The Sage Mountain Senior Living Facility in Thousand Oaks and residences east of Highway 33 and Casitas Springs were also under mandatory evacuations.
There were voluntary evacuation orders for parts of Ventura affected by the Thomas Fire, with orders set to go into effect at noon. The Ventura Unified School District canceled classes at Ventura High School, Loma Vista School, Lincoln School, De Anza Middle School and Cabrillo Middle School.
A statement from Jeff Baarstad, the district’s interim superintendent, said the district was notified by the Ventura Police Department that there was a “high likelihood“ the city would be issuing a mandatory evacuation order later in the morning for parts of Ventura.
He said most of the elementary and middle school students had already been picked up by their parents as of 10:30 a.m. Ventura High School students were sheltering in place.
Updates
11 p.m. According to a report from KABC, a rock slide along Malibu Canyon Road shut the roadway down to one lane.
8:25 p.m. Mandatory evacuations in Oak Park, Bell Canyon and the Vista Fire burn area have been downgraded to voluntary evacuations, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. Mandatory evacuations remain in place for Matilija, Wheeler Springs, North Fork and along the south coast of the county.
4:25 p.m. Ventura Unified School District schools will be open Wednesday, officials said.
3:30 p.m. By late Tuesday afternoon, most of the rainfall for the day had passed through the county, according to meteorologist Kathy Hoxsie of the National Weather Service. Scattered showers are expected to continue into Tuesday night, bringing between a quarter inch and three-quarters inch of rainfall, with higher elevations receiving more rain than along the coast, but the next rain event was expected to begin on Wednesday afternoon.
— Staff writer Jeremy Childs
3:07 p.m. Diane Starzak wore a yellow slicker in the rain and dug shallow trenches to help protect her home that sits against a fire-burned hill in Oak Park.
She lives in an evacuation area but as of 2 p.m. Tuesday had decided to stay and try to protect a home that survived a Woolsey Fire that came as close as her front yard.
“This is not our first rodeo,” she said, reciting estimated rain fall totals and her home’s proximity to vulnerable slopes. “If we see things sliding, we’ll leave.”
Pitt Gilmore, president of the Morrison Estates Owners Association and a retired captain with Los Angeles County Fire Department, traveled from house to house in Oak Park making sure people know about the risks of slope failure. He told people that if they waited, they might have no time to react.
“It comes on very silently,” he said.
Barbara Bietz, Starzak’s neighbor on Liverpool Court, wasn’t taking any chances. She and her family were headed to her sister’s home in a safer part of Oak Park.
“We just want to be safe for sure,” she said. “We know nature may have a different plan than we do.”
— Staff writer Tom Kisken
1:29 p.m. The Oak Park Unified School District said due to the weather, parents were required to pick up all students after school ends. After school activities have been canceled.
12:48 p.m. Ken Whitteker lives in a house alongside Matilija Canyon Creek. He has lived in the area since 1952. On Tuesday, it was in a mandatory evacuation zone because of the storm. But Whitteker said he didn’t think he was going to leave.
“We always stick it out,” he said. “We’ll stay, no matter what. I love it up here so much.”
— Staff writer Christian Martinez
11:52 a.m. Much of Malibu seemed to be in a holding pattern as people waited to see what Mother Nature would bring.
People gathered in the streets talking about whether to stay or go.
“We’re trying to keep them calm,” said Tim Biglow, a community leader who was helping people understand their options.
Kate Franey has felt nature’s wrath. Her Decker Canyon home and everything else she owned was lost in the Woolsey Fire. Now she’s living with her in-laws in Malibu West. She plans to evacuate. It isn’t worth it to stay, she said.
“I’ve already lost one house. I’m not going to lose my life, too,” Franey said.
Henry Hungerland also lives in Malibu West, a community that lost several homes in the Woolsey Fire and is surrounded by barren hills.
By Tuesday morning, several people there had been not been told to evacuate. One of them was Henry Hungerland.
“We’re staying here,” said Hungerland, who was watching the hillsides. “We know where the mud flows are.”
But if a wall of mud was coming, he’d certainly leave, he said.
Mike Reisbord, who lives in Broad Beach, was filling up sandbags at Zuma Beach in advance of the rain. He said he’s used to Mother Nature.
“It’s just another beautiful day in Malibu with a little bit of extra energy,” Reisbord said.
— Staff writer Tom Kisken
11 a.m. Evacuation shelters were opened at Ventura Community College, 46667 Telegraph Road. The Red Cross is also in the process of opening shelters at Nordhoff High School, 1401 Maricopa Highway in Ojai, and the Thousand Oaks Community Center, 2525 N. Moorpark Road.
10:53 a.m. In La Conchita, the predicted rainfall caused concern among residents.
Winona Ready, a 17-year La Conchita resident, said she was just preparing to pack Tuesday morning as a light drizzle fell.
“I’ll go ...” she said, regarding a potential evacuation order. “I’ll get a hotel.”
Ready said she was watching local TV news stations to keep updated on developments.
“I’m watching pretty closely.”
While heavy rain was expected Tuesday, it was the storm forecast for Wednesday that prompted the most concern for Ready.
“I think tonight will be OK,” she said. “Thunderstorms make me nervous.”
Bob Hart, a 40-year resident of La Conchita, was taking a walk amid the drizzle.
“So far, it looks fine,” he said. “If it gets heavier. I’ll be concerned.”
Hart said rain always makes him nervous for his home.
— Staff writer Christian Martinez
10:48 a.m. La Conchita is under a voluntary evacuation. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for:
- Bell Canyon
- Oak Park
- unincorporated areas of Thousand Oaks
- South Coast of Ventura County
- The Malibu community
- Matilija, Wheeler Springs and North Fork areas extending along Oso Road
- Sage Mountain Senior Living Facility in Thousand Oaks
- residences east of Highway 33 and Casitas Springs
The following areas were advised to be aware of changing weather conditions and be ready to leave should it become unsafe:
- Camarillo Springs
- Nye Road
- West of Highway 33, including Sycamore Drive at Edison Drive
10:34 a.m. The city of Ventura has issued the following voluntary evacuation orders to start at noon Tuesday:
- West side: All areas east of Wall Street, east of Cedar Street and east of Cameron Street
- Downtown neighborhoods: North of Poli Street from Cedar Street to Kalorama Drive (including Holy Cross School)
- Midtown Neighborhoods: North of Poli Street from Kalorama Drive to Aliso Lane, south to Main Street and east to Lincoln, north to Poli Street east to Agnus Drive (including Ventura High School)
- Midtown neighborhoods: Agnus Drive south to Loma Vista Street east to Shamrock Drive, North to Foothill Road (including Loma Vista School)
- East end neighborhoods: East of Appian Way/Court Avenue to Ashwood Avenue north of Telegraph Road
- All areas North of Pomona Street/Beckford Street/Albion to Victoria Avenue
- All Areas North of Foothill Road from Victoria Avenue to Kimball Road
Free sandbags for Ventura residents can be found at the Sanjon Maintenance Yard, 336 Sanjon Road. Arroyo Verde Park, Marina Park, Grant Park, and the Ventura Pier will be closed for the duration of the storm.
Evacuation orders
Ventura County emergency officials have mapped out the storm advisory area. To search an address, visit https://www.vcemergency.com/.
The following areas are under mandatory evacuations:
- Unincorporated areas of Thousand Oaks
- South Coast of Ventura County
- The Malibu community
- Matilija, Wheeler Springs and North Fork areas extending along Oso Road
- Sage Mountain Senior Living Facility in Thousand Oaks
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The following areas are under voluntary evacuation orders:
- Bell Canyon
- Oak Park
- Vista Fire burn area
- La Conchita
- Parts of Ventura
- East Ojai
The American Red Cross is opening shelters at the Thousand Oaks Community Center, 2525 North Moorpark Road, Ventura Community College, 46667 Telegraph Road in Ventura and Nordhoff High School, 1401 Maricopa Highway in Ojai.
In Los Angeles County, mandatory evacuation orders included the following areas:
- Corral Canyon/El Nido
- Escondido/Old Chimney
- Escondido Drive/Latigo Canyon
- Malibu West/Trancas Canyon
- Malibou Lake
- All of Ramirez Canyon Road and adjacent streets
- Paradise Cove Mobile Home Park & Restaurant
A shelter has opened for Los Angeles County residents at the Santa Monica High School South Gym, 601 Pico Blvd. A shelter at Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center, 27040 Malibu Hills Road is expected to open at noon. A large animal evacuation shelter has opened at Hansen Dam Equestrian Center, 11127 Orcas Ave. in Lakeview Terrace and at Pierce College, 6201 Winnetka Ave. in Woodland Hills.
More information about the storm’s effect in Los Angeles County, visit http://www.lacounty.gov/larain.
A Red Cross shelter is expected to open in Goleta for those affected by the storm at 10 a.m. It will open at Goleta Valley Community Center, 5679 Hollister Ave.
For a map showing where the evacuation orders have been issued for Santa Barbara County, visit: https://readysbc.org.
Staff writer Alexa D’Angelo contributed to this report
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