Monday’s Heat Sets a Record High in Ventura

Summery weather that lured Ventura County residents outdoors during the weekend continued Monday, with larger-than-average crowds basking on the area’s beaches and relaxing in cool, green parks.

Temperatures reached 93 degrees in Oxnard, 90 in Thousand Oaks and 87 in Ventura and Ojai, according to the National Weather Service.

Ventura’s temperature set the record for the hottest March 10, surpassing the 76 degrees recorded in 1981, according to Tom Johnston, an amateur climatologist who operates Johnston Weather Watch in Ventura. The record temperature for the month of March stands at 95 degrees, set on March 26, 1988, Johnston said.

A high-pressure system combined with a steady, offshore breeze helped create the balmy conditions.

“It’s not unusual to have warm weather like this at this time of year,” said Gary Ryan, a National Weather Service meteorologist. “But it’s not going to last--it’s going to be much cooler tomorrow and by Wednesday we’ll be returning to fog.”

In Thousand Oaks, families picnicked under ancient oak trees at local parks. In the west county, some people took advantage of the warm weather by heading for San Buenaventura State Beach.

“It’s been hot today, so we do have a few more people on the beach than usual,” said Lifeguard Curtis Price of the Ventura State Lifeguards. “But it’s Monday, and people are back at work and the kids are back in school.

By 3:30 p.m., the beach crowd had thinned out. Several youths practiced spiking a volleyball over the net. Children raced through the waves, chasing a group of sandpipers. A steady breeze blew out to sea, where a band of mist hovered on the horizon.

Claire and John Hostettler, visiting Ventura from Glendale, Ariz., lounged at the tide line on a pair of folding chairs. The couple used binoculars to gaze out to sea.

“Dolphins, we love to watch the dolphins,” Claire said. “You don’t see many of those in Arizona. And of course, this weather is just beautiful.”

Her husband agreed.

“We come here three or four times a year, and this is probably the best weather we’ve had here,” he said. “It’s very unusual; we packed down-filled jackets and haven’t had to use them.”