Stormy weather II: Rain turns into soak, downpour over but more expected

March 09, 2001
Santa Paula News

The stalled storm system seemed like it would never move on, sending a torrent of rain onto Santa Paula Monday that flooded streets, caused some flickering of electrical power and sent boulders crashing down Santa Paula Creek like they were marbles.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe stalled storm system seemed like it would never move on, sending a torrent of rain onto Santa Paula Monday that flooded streets, caused some flickering of electrical power and sent boulders crashing down Santa Paula Creek like they were marbles.And, there is more to come, but the next storm system is not expected to match the onslaught of rain that pounded the city for close to three days straight.The wild weather resulted from a jet stream diving south, reversing weather patterns and giving the Pacific Northwest what should be California's sunshine.Willard Road, and other areas near the Santa Clara River, were put on evacuation notice Monday night but were able to stay home as the river crested. Boulders crashed down the Santa Paula Creek, and property loss was reported on the east side of the waterway. Residents of Howery Court spent a nervous night as waters - and boulders - rushed beneath their backyards overlooking Fagan Barranca.
It's no wonder: Santa Paula has received over seven inches of rain since Sunday, with Monday's downpour accounting for several inches. But the highest rainfall was recorded in at the Casitas Recreation Center, over 11 inches from Sunday through Tuesday.Santa Paula has had 24.70 inches of rain since the season officially started since Oct. 1, the bulk of it since January. Normal rainfall to date would be 13.52 inches, so the city has had a whopping 183 percent of normal, the highest percentage in Ventura County.Old Man Mountain, which straddles Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, received over 22 inches of rain from the stalled storm.The Ojai Sanitary District had a major sewer tank overflow two days in a row, sending about 7-million gallons of partially treated sewage into the Ventura River and onto the Pacific Ocean.Damage countywide is estimated at about $500,000 and there have been dozens of minor traffic accidents, a few major road closures and power outages blamed on the storm.



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