Wintry Storm Expected to Arrive in County Today

Thunderstorms.

Hail.

And snow.

Welcome to spring in Ventura County.

While locally heavy showers today could bring about half an inch of rain along the coast, the showers are expected to be overshadowed by unseasonably cold temperatures and breezy conditions more reminiscent of January than March.

“This is a classic winter storm, even though it’s springtime,” said John Sherwin, a meteorologist with the forecasting company WeatherData Inc. “The hills around Ventura could even see a dusting of snow on the top and definitely around Fillmore and Santa Paula.”

Even more is expected in the back country of Los Padres National Forest--2 to 6 inches of snow between 3,000 and 5,000 feet and as much as 1 foot above that.

Gusty winds up to 35 mph will very likely prevent frost from posing a threat to local farmers, Sherwin said.

But the frigid unstable air could bring some relatively unusual conditions to the county.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you see reports of pea-sized hail Saturday,” Sherwin said. “It’s small hail, but nonetheless not a common occurrence in Southern California.”

Nevertheless, even the relatively small amount of rain predicted has county officials bracing for more problems.

“We’ve given up expecting them, they’re going to happen,” said Dale Carnathan, program administrator for the Office of Emergency Services. “With the winds we’ll have trees and branches down and we’ll have some power outages. We may have roads blocked by falling trees and it doesn’t take much to bring the earth sliding. Everything is still basically active.”

California 33 remains restricted to one lane each way at the Arnaz Grade because of a landslide earlier in the week. And California 150 is down to one lane between Santa Paula and the Upper Ojai, and closed in the other direction toward Santa Barbara.

The worst of the weather is expected to be over by Sunday. Only lingering showers should remain by early morning, though conditions are expected to stay cool and breezy. But the threat of poor weather prompted organizers of the fourth annual Westlake Village Street Festival to cancel the event.

The festival usually attracts about 5,000 people and raises about $24,000 for local charities.

“They said it’s going to be raining on Sunday and the wind is going to be blowing, so frankly I hope they’re right,” event Chairman Joe Paulucci said. “At this point I hope it’s a miserable day.”

But forecasters insist today will have the worst weather.

Showers are expected to develop overnight and persist through tonight.

Temperatures could actually fall during the day with highs reaching the middle 50s to low 60s.

In the mountains, the weather could be dangerous, with gusty winds reducing the temperature to between zero and 10 degrees below zero at about 4,000 feet.

Moreover, oceanfront residents should watch for high surf and possible tidal overflow during high tides at 9:15 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Lows tonight are expected to range from the upper 30s to mid-40s. Sunday’s forecast calls for highs in the upper 50s to low 60s.

Indeed, Sunday is the day U.S. forestry officials are bracing for an influx of snow seekers ready to experience the first fresh flakes in weeks.

The most popular spot for cross-country skiing and sledding is 8,831-foot-high Mt. Pinos, which straddles the border of Ventura and Kern counties. The mountain will be plowed to the McGill Campground, which is 7,500 feet up the peak.

“If the weather is nice on Sunday, I wouldn’t be surprised to have 300 to 500 cars,” said Don Trammell, recreation officer on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District.

Trammell advises people not to venture to the mountains Saturday because if the expected snowfall occurs, roads leading to the mountain and possibly the Golden State Freeway over the Grapevine could be closed.

Visitors ready to romp through the snow Sunday are advised to bring an extra set of dry clothes, car chains and food and drinks, because there are no services on the mountain.

For more information, call the ranger district today at 245-3731. The office will be closed Sunday, but a 24-hour recording is updated about 10 a.m. daily. The telephone number is 245-3449.