Debris flow risks still rated as low as rain falls across county

Staff and wire reports

Rainfall in Ventura County is playing out Wednesday largely as expected, with little danger for debris and mud flows in recently burned areas, according to the National Weather Service.

More Ventura County coverage:

Here are some of the notable rainfall totals for the storm as of about 8:30 p.m., according to the Ventura County Watershed Protection District:

Camarillo: 0.04 inch
Circle X Ranch: 0.32 inch
El Rio: 0.16 inch
Fillmore: 0.23 inch
Las Llajas Canyon: 0.23 inch
Lockwood Valley: 0.52 inch
Matilija Dam: 0.01 inch
Newbury Park: 0.16 inch
Ojai: 0.09 inch
Oxnard: 0.31 inch
Piru Canyon: 0.17 inch
Santa Paula Creek: 0.07 inch
Santa Susanna: 0.16 inch
Saticoy: 0.19 inch
Simi Valley: 0.28 inch
Somis: 0.02 inch
Spanish Hills: 0.28 inch
Sycamore Canyon: 0.84 inch
Ventura: 0.2 inch

One unexpected development has been that Ventura County mountains are seeing more rain and snowfall than had been expected — a situation not typical for a weather system like the one affecting the region. Snow, previously expected in amounts as high as 6 inches, could fall as low as 4,500 feet elevation in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, the weather agency reported.

Since storms are moving quickly, the threat remains minimal — although not zero — for debris and mud flows in areas burned by the recent Maria and Easy fires, according to the weather agency.

The Ventura County Fire Department is prepared, just in case.

“We are equipped and ready, but we don't have any additional personnel designated on site,” Capt. Brian McGrath said Tuesday. “Should circumstances change, we will add the needed staff.”

As of about 8 p.m. Wednesday, the Maria Fire burn area in Santa Paula/Somis had seen 0.03 to 0.06 inch of rain and the Easy Fire burn area in Simi Valley/Moorpark had received 0.04 to 0.08 inch.

The cold storm system will generate high surf through Thursday morning, according to the weather agency.

Ventura County beaches will see surf building to between 4 and 7 feet with local sets up to 8 feet on west-facing beaches, according to the agency. Strong and dangerous rip currents can be expected, the agency reported.

Rain will taper off tonight and skies will start to clear, forecasters say.

The weather agency said it could not rule out a shower or two over the mountains on Thursday morning, but they would be unlikely. Otherwise, Thursday will be partly cloudy and cool with most coastal and valley high temperatures in the mid-60s, according to forecasters.

More rain falls to our south

Other regions of Southern California are seeing more extreme weather.

The National Weather Service said the "best dynamics" for rain in the Los Angeles area were focused from Los Angeles County to Orange County with much less shower activity across Ventura County.

Some inland areas to the south and east of Ventura County were under flash-flood watches. Voluntary evacuation warnings are in place for canyon communities of Orange and Riverside counties where mudslides are possible along wildfire burn scars.

About 2 inches of rain fell in the San Diego area Tuesday and more is expected.

Authorities on Wednesday evacuated the Santa Monica Pier and Los Angeles-area beaches because of lightning strikes.

As is typical during the first rain of the season, Los Angeles residents were getting a bit excited by the precipitation. One local tweeted: "My childlike joy of seeing and hearing the #LARain this morning means I am an official Angelean."

Others were less thrilled, with one resident, Wendy Pierce, tweeting "I don’t know what this sorcery is but I don’t like it!"

The rainfall comes after more than 81% of the state — including Ventura County — was classified as “abnormally” dry by the U.S. Drought Monitor. That’s up from 18% a week earlier. The monitor points to above-normal temperatures and a lack of precipitation six weeks into the current water year that started Oct. 1 as a reason.

Contributing: Doyle Rice and John Bacon, USA TODAY; The Associated Press