Tropical Storm Hilary makes landfall, pushes toward Ventura County
Rain from Tropical Storm Hilary swept into Ventura County Sunday, as authorities canceled events and urged residents to prepare for what could be dangerous conditions.
Hilary, a strong category 4 hurricane on Friday, had weakened to a tropical storm by early Sunday. The storm made landfall over the northern Baja California peninsula later in the day. While it was expected to continue to weaken as it moved north, forecasters said Hilary likely would remain at tropical storm strength as it reached Southern California. That would make it the first tropical storm to reach the region in 84 years.
The National Weather Service issued tropical storm and flash flood warnings for parts of Ventura County. No evacuations were ordered in the county as of Sunday afternoon but authorities sent notifications to residents in some areas more vulnerable to flooding. Those included spots hit hard by winter storms such as Camp Chaffee Road north of Ventura, Grada and Trueno avenues in Camarillo, and Matilija Canyon north of Ojai.
"Those are areas we want to watch closely," said Patrick Maynard, director of the Ventura County sheriff's Office of Emergency Services.
A significant amount of rainfall in a short period of time could cause flooding, he said. Maynard urged residents countywide to stay alert to changing conditions and make sure to keep up to date with the latest information.
Officials canceled Sunday's Wings Over Camarillo air show because of weather concerns. The Los Padres National Forest and California State Parks urged visitors to check the forecast and consider delaying visits during the storm.
By mid-morning, rain started to fall in Ventura County, picking up in the early afternoon and prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flood advisory for the region.
Flood watch in effect
As Hilary moves inland, it was expected to lose its source of moisture and weaken, said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
On Sunday morning, he said the storm was "starting to move up really quickly and weakening as it does."
The heaviest rain was expected to hit local areas on Sunday between 3 p.m. and midnight, Wofford said. In all, the forecast called for 1 to 2 inches of rainfall in the county's coastal and valley areas. Mountains and foothills could see 2 to 4 inches.
Flooding was possible if the rain fell in a short amount of time. Higher elevations could see an inch of rain or more per hour. But lower elevations were expected to get closer to one-half to three-quarters of an inch of rainfall an hour.
Winds also were expected to pick up mid-afternoon Sunday. Sustained winds up to 35 mph were possible locally, potentially leading to downed trees and power outages.
Potentially record-breaking rainfall
Over the weekend, county authorities sent personnel by helicopter to notify anyone in local river bottoms about the storm and potential flooding. Fire departments also had teams available in case swift-water rescues were needed.
After midnight, the rain was expected to start tapering off. Showers likely would continue Monday morning as the storm moved out of the area.
Local rainfall totals were not expected to be too unusual for a winter storm, but because of the timing, Hilary likely would be record-breaking. Typically, much of the county records less than a tenth of an inch of rainfall in August.
To sign up for emergency alerts in Ventura County, go to readyventuracounty.org/vc-alert. For information about the storm, any evacuation warnings or road closures, go to vcemergency.com.
Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Rain, winds from Tropical Storm Hilary sweep into Ventura County
