Heat Wave Has Arrived, but Soon to Depart

After months of El Nino-soaked days and chilly nights, the heat is on Ventura County finally--at least for a while.

More than 1,000 people flocked to local beaches Tuesday to walk, talk, surf or sun on one of the warmest and calmest days so far this spring, said park and weather officials.

In Simi Valley, Tuesday brought a near-record high temperature of 93 degrees, said Stuart Seto with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. A record of 94 degrees was set on April 21, 1987.

“They were the hot spot. We were close to a record but it’s not going to happen soon because we are going to have some cooling,” Seto said.

Lt. Don Austin, a watch commander for the Simi Valley Police Department, said the hot temperatures seemed to discourage criminals.

“We’ve had a reasonable quiet day, and personally I think it’s been a beautiful day even though it was very warm,” said Austin.

It was 89 degrees in Thousand Oaks on Tuesday and 81 in Oxnard, according to weather service records. Seto said it was 78 degrees in Ventura and about 71 at Point Mugu.

A low-pressure system was expected to move into the county today, causing an increase in morning clouds and nighttime fog, Seto said. It will be sunny today, but daytime high temperatures will drop at least five degrees, he added.

There is a slight chance of drizzle by 11 tonight, Seto said. There was a 20% chance of more rain in the coastal communities on Thursday night.

Thursday will also likely have partly cloudy skies that will clear by the afternoon, Seto said. The average high temperature in the county will be about 66 degrees, Seto said.

Surf swells should be between 2 and 4 feet today and Thursday, Seto said. There will be gale-force winds 60 to 250 miles offshore that could create some chilly coastal breezes, Seto said.

Swells and a fierce rip current were to blame for an incident Tuesday in which a 60-year-old man became separated from his board while surfing about 1:55 p.m. at Emma Wood State Beach.

The man worked his way back to the shore but was given oxygen by county fire paramedics, said state parks lifeguard George Kabris.

“He was conscious and aware of his surroundings, but he was extremely fatigued when he got to shore,” Kabris said.