According to a recent Public Policy Institute of California
(PPIC) statewide survey, two-thirds of Californians consider the drought to be
the most critical issue facing the state.
That’s why the news
about a 2015 El Nino is so welcomed. This summer will be dry but meteorologists
say there is a 90 percent chance of an El Nino in the fall and an 85 percent
chance of it lasting through the winter.
El Nino predictions are based on warming Pacific Ocean waters
off the west coast of South America near the equator. An El Nino can alter the location of the jet
stream resulting in more Pacific storms and rain.
When it comes to wishing for a strong El Nino, the PPIC blog
also reminds us to be careful what we ask for - droughts often end with floods.
The most recent example is Texas - August 2010 to July 2011 was
the driest year ever for the state.
Coupled with unprecedented heat, the state experienced wildfires and
billions of dollars of economic losses.
Farmers and ranchers felt the most pain with an estimated $7.62 billion
loss of crops and livestock.
This year the drought ended and the floods began. May 2015 was the wettest month ever in Texas
with an average of 8.81 inches across the state. Some communities experienced over five inches
of rain in a single day.
In August 2011, 93 percent of the state of Oklahoma was in an
extreme to exceptional drought condition.
The Dust Bowl reappeared -- soil was hurled into the air by 60+ mile per
hour winds creating clouds so thick cars were forced off highways.
In 2015 the rains returned averaging 14.4 inches across the
Sooner state. Instead of being forced
off the roads, cars floated away.
Australia is one of the driest continents on earth so drought
conditions are not unusual. Still
nothing had prepared the Aussies for the almost decade long “Big Dry” - the worst drought ever. Then in late 2010 and early 2011 the drought
ended when torrential rains fell over Northeastern Australia causing one of the
worst natural disasters the country ever experienced.
Does this mean we don’t
want the rain? Definitely not - we do
want rain. But strange as it may seem
as we carry buckets of shower water to our potted plants, it might be a good
idea to do some thinking about being prepared for when the rains return.
Maybe you think your home or business is safe because you aren’t in a low lying area but think
again. According to FEMA, floods can
happen anywhere.
Flash floods can occur quickly carrying rocks and debris in
surging water. Now is the time to
assembly an emergency kit ready in case a quick evacuation becomes necessary.
Most insurance policies don’t
cover floods. Now is a good time to
check your business and home policies and consider purchasing a flood insurance
policy if you aren’t
covered. If you are in a special flood
hazard zone you need to get National Flood Insurance. Check the Flood Map Service Center at
msc.fema.gov to find out.
A few preparations now might lessen the impacts on your purse
and your stress level when the rain returns.
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