Rain sets records; 2 horses rescued when tree falls in Oak View area
A rainstorm that peaked Tuesday packed less of a punch than expected but still managed to break local records.
Showers also caused localized flooding, sent rocks and mud onto roads and created potholes on some streets. Firefighters rescued two horses Wednesday morning after a tree fell in the Oak View area.
As of 4 a.m. Wednesday, two-day rain totals for Ventura County stayed under 4 inches, according to the National Weather Service:
Red Mountain, 3.66 inches
South Mountain, 3.37
Matilija Dam, 3.29
Lake Piru, 3.09
Moorpark, 2.72
La Conchita, 2.68
Oxnard Civic Center, 2.68
Ojai, 2.58
Camarillo Airport, 2.52
Simi Valley, 2.33
Ventura, 2.04
Piru, 1.8
Santa Paula, 1.79
CSU Channel Islands, 1.5
Thousand Oaks, 1.21
Silver Strand Beach, 1.1
Lockwood Valley, 0.33
Rain on Tuesday broke records for the date at the two Ventura County stations tracked by the weather service for quick historical comparisons:
The Camarillo Airport’s 2.04 inches on Tuesday smashed the prior record for March 14 set in 1930, when 1.46 inches fell.
At the weather service office on Elevar Street in Oxnard, the same 1930 record of 1.46 inches was bested Tuesday by 2.25 inches of rain
Potholes and horses
On Tuesday afternoon, rocks and mud spilled onto Highway 33 near Creek Road in the Oak View area, closing the route for a time, California Highway Patrol officials said.
Elsewhere around the county, potholes cropped up along cement roads and highways, a CHP official said, with some reportedly causing flat tires.
One set of potholes along the Santa Clara River bridge on Harbor Boulevard brought in calls to the CHP Wednesday. Some of the holes appeared a foot long and as deep as 5 inches.
Weather officials extended a flood warning for the Conejo Creek near Camarillo until 10 a.m. Wednesday after the creek peaked above flood stage. Standing water had flooded Adohr Lane and Ridge View Street, officials said, and parts of Leisure Village near the creek were also impacted.
On Wednesday morning, firefighters rescued two horses after a tree fell in the Oak View area due to the recent storm, fire officials said. The incident was near the same section of Highway 33 closed by rocks Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities initially reported that one of the horses had died. But late Wednesday afternoon, they said the horse survived when the owner decided not to euthanize it.
Firefighters responded to the call around 7:15 a.m. at a residence with horse stables on Old Creek Road, just east of Highway 33, Ventura County Fire Capt. Brian McGrath said.
One horse was trapped inside the corral and under the oak tree, but firefighters reached it after cutting the tree, McGrath said. A veterinarian evaluated the horse, he said.
“It is up and moving around and doing very well,” McGrath said Wednesday morning.
When crews left, the other horse had been tranquilized and wasn't expected to survive, but "miraculously" pulled through, the fire agency later said in a tweet.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Rain sets records; 2 horses rescued after tree falls near Oak View
