Heat Wave Expected to Remain for Weekend

Less than three weeks after Ventura County was hit with record-breaking rainstorms, a moderate heat wave has settled over the area and is expected to remain through the weekend.

Though no records were broken in Ventura County, National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Krohn said Oxnard came close, reaching a high of 84 degrees, just shy of the record of 86 degrees set in 1954.

“It’s not unusual for this region to have dry and warm weather in January, but it does seem a little strange given the severity of the weather we’ve been experiencing lately,” Krohn said.

Krohn said the temperature in Ventura soared to 84 degrees Wednesday, nearly 20 degrees over the normal seasonal high of about 65 degrees.

Krohn said county residents can expect more of the same today as slight Santa Ana-like winds sweep across the county from the east, at 5 m.p.h. to 15 m.p.h.

The hot weather is the product of a massive high pressure system that has been parked over the southwestern United States, Krohn said.

“We’re not getting any cool temperatures or precipitation because the high pressure is keeping the jet stream well north of us,” Krohn said. “When the high breaks up, the jet stream will come south and we’ll start to see some cloudy skies again.”

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Temperatures in the east county were similarly warm, reaching a high of 88 degrees in Simi Valley and 86 degrees in Thousand Oaks.

Despite the heat, many city and county beaches remained largely empty, lifeguards said. Heavy debris deposited on the sand from last month’s torrential rain seems to have deterred most would-be sun worshipers and surfers, said state lifeguard C.L. Price.

Price said only about a dozen surfers were seen riding the waves at Surfer’s Point at midday and, as for sun bathers, he glimpsed only three ensconced between the piles of beach debris.

“They’re probably descendants of woodchucks because they don’t mind the wood,” Price quipped. By late Wednesday, he said, lifeguards had not responded to any major rescues on local beaches.

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At Ventura Harbor, Assistant Harbor Master Pat Hummer said the fair weather drew out boaters.

“It seems like it has picked up a little with the better weather--we expect Friday and the weekend to get pretty busy,” Hummer said.

Hummer said Harbor Patrol officers were called to McGrath State Beach late Wednesday when 24-foot disabled motor boat got caught in the surf line and capsized. A couple aboard the boat were unhurt and swam the short distance to shore.

Elsewhere, however, the sunny weather encouraged many county residents to venture outside and soak up the sun.

At Soule Park Golf Course in Ojai, assistant club professional Duffy Cink said reservations for tee-off times at the 18-hole course are booked solid for the week.

“We have definitely seen an increase in players,” Cink said. “My guess is that people have been itching to get out and play with all this bad weather we’ve had.”

Times staff writer Constance Sommer contributed to this story.