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Holiday expected to be a windy one
Warnings posted about gusts and fires
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More from County NewsSanta Claus and his reindeer may have experienced a bumpy ride, as winds were expected to buffet Ventura County, ramping up to 60 mph in some areas.
A high-wind watch is scheduled to be in effect through today, with 30 to 40 mph winds expected. Gusts could reach 60 mph in the coastal areas and the canyons.
"You definitely want to batten down the hatches," said Curt Kaplan, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, "and people should be careful while driving."
Kaplan said the high winds are expected to create fire-prone conditions.
"It's dry out there. There is a red flag warning in effect," he said.
Because of the dry conditions, a fire-weather watch is scheduled through this evening, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.
As high winds continue, temperatures are expected to cool today, with highs in the upper 60s, the National Weather Service reported.
Meanwhile, Santa and his reindeer departed on schedule Monday from Oxnard Airport, courtesy of Aspen Helicopters. It was Santa's 26th Christmas Eve helicopter tour of the Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula and Ventura areas. Winds weren't strong enough to scuttle the flight.
Pilot Rob Scherzinger said helicopters are kept on the ground only if winds reach about 15 knots. Santa's tour of the region has been canceled just once over the years.
Coastal areas were calm Monday.
"I'm looking out the weather station, and it's a perfect day," Griff Hutton, a spokesman with the State Parks and Recreation Department and lifeguard supervisor at Ventura State Beach, said Monday. "There's a slight breeze, the water looks almost glassy."
Hutton said no statewide wind alerts were in effect as of Monday afternoon, and the ocean was calm, producing 1- to 2-foot swells.
In Simi Valley, the winds reached up to 35 mph Sunday night, but no damage was reported. The city's unofficial weather experts, Edwin and Carla Iverson, said they are gearing up for the holiday, not for a major weather-related event.
Monday afternoon the couple was watching "The Nutcracker."
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