Wild weather clears for Christmas but cold stays, more rain on the way

December 28, 2016
Santa Paula News

Wild weather late last week caused some power outages, heavy bursts of rain and gusty winds but conditions cleared for a crisp Christmas Day. Monday it continued to be cold and the wind was back with rain forecast for Friday.

In all, 1.74 inches fell in the Santa Paula area during the storm that brought dribbles Wednesday and Thursday before starting in earnest Friday, a weather event that featured downpours.

Friday evening about 5:30 p.m. there was a report of downed power lines in the 900 block of Ojai Road, an outage that lasted less than 30 minutes according to SCE.

The rain abated later in the evening but then started up again with a last strong burst falling at one point at a rate of more than a half-inch an hour.

A flood advisory was in effect for the county, including areas burned in the Camarillo Springs, Solimar and Sage wildfires, until 1 a.m. Saturday. A flash-flood watch was in effect until 3 a.m. Saturday.

Friday, between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., the rain was at its evening peak causing numerous reports of flooded roadways and vehicle accidents and incidents — including several motorists being trapped in their vehicles due to flooding — throughout Ventura County.

The National Weather Service noted the latest storm brought 1.5 inches, an amount challenged by area rain gauges and other weather reporting services.

The Ventura County Watershed Protection District reported that the Santa Paula area has received 4.5 inches of rain to date, about 94.1 percent of the average rainfall of 4.78 inches.

The rainfall is encouraging in light of the five year drought experienced in Southern California. Santa Paula historically averages 18.05 inches of rain each year but In 2011-2012 it had 9.85 inches, 54.6 percent of average; in 2012-2013 there were 5.96 inches, 33 percent; 2013-2014 6.15 inches, 34.1 percent; 2014-2015 11.22 inches, 62.2 percent and 2015-2016 9.88 inches, 54.7 percent of average. 





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