First Things First – Is Encinitas Going To Be Wet And Are We In A Flood Zone?
Here is a local image that gives you a sneak peak on what to expect. These folks have their own Noah’s Ark ready to go… you should too.
If you have a friend who needs to know about El Nino, please share with them. Visit the Moonlight Beach Facebook page to comment.
San Diego Declares El Nino State Of Emergency
Concerned that El Niño rains might cause significant flooding this winter, the San Diego City Council unanimously declared a local state of emergency on 11-16-2015 that could help accelerate clearing of clogged drainage channels
The city has also set up a flood preparation website, readysandiego.org, and two hotlines: (619) 527-7500 for floods and (619) 235-1000 for drainage channels.
The LA Times produced a simple graphic to indicate that you can expect it to wetter than normal. Especially where you live.
For those of you who prefer to watch disasters via video, here is what the Science Channel produced on El Nino…
In Short, You Are Going To Need Rain Gear
Just Who / What is El Niño? And Why Does It Occur At Christmas?
El Niño means ‘The Little Boy,’ or Christ Child in Spanish. According to NOAA, El Niño was originally recognized by fishermen off the coast of South America in the 1600s, with the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean. The name El Nino was chosen based on the time of year (around December) during which these warm waters events tended to occur.
While for most people El Nino means ‘The Little Boy,’ for California, it really means, the ‘The Really, Really, Mischievous Little Boy,’
El Niño is a global weather phenomenon that involves warming sea-surface temperatures and a change in wind that alters weather patterns in the atmosphere worldwide. For California, it generally means rain, often a lot of rain.
Flash forward to modern day and the term El Niño now refers to the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central Equatorial Pacific.
In more human terms, there is a big body of warm water that sloshes back and forth the Pacific Ocean bath tub. Sometimes it is closer to South America and sometimes it is closer to Asia. This occurs over many months and years.
The red colored water below indicates the ocean is warmer and thus El Nino.
Big Deal. How Does The El Nino Impact California, Southern California and San Diego?
The 2015-16 winter climate forecast indicates that El Niño is still very strong in the Pacific Ocean west of Peru.
So, look at the 5* Amazon Rain Gear
A powerful El Niño can move the jet stream that funnels wet winter storms over the jungles of southern Mexico and Central America north. It also can redirect jet streams of rain into Southern California leaving behind potentially deadly winter rain and flooding.
You can look up FEMA flood maps anywhere in the US, just enter your address. Here, for example, is Encinitas.
The warm waters occupy such a large area that they alter worldwide weather patterns.
Typical El Niño effects are likely to develop over North America during the upcoming winter season. Those include warmer-than-average temperatures over western and central Canada, and over the western and northern United States. Wetter-than-average conditions are likely over portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida, while drier-than-average conditions can be expected in the Ohio Valley and the Pacific Northwest. The presence of El Niño can significantly influence weather patterns, ocean conditions, and marine fisheries across large portions of the globe for an extended period of time.
NOAA reports, “There is an approximately 95% chance that El Niño will continue through Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16, gradually weakening through spring 2016.”
What About El Nino’s Sister – La Niña?
La Niña means The Little Girl in Spanish. La Niña is also sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Niño, or simply ‘a cold event.’ This is when the warm Pacific Ocean sloshes over towards Asia.
During a La Niña year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in California and cooler than normal in the Northwest.
Read even more about El Nino and La Nina.
Flood Safety Tips
- Turn Around, Don’t Drown! ®
- Avoid walking or driving through flood waters.
- Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and 2 feet of water can sweep your vehicle away.
- If there is a chance of flash flooding, move immediately to higher ground. Flash floods are the #1 cause of weather-related deaths in the US.
- If floodwaters rise around your car but the water is not moving, abandon the car and move to higher ground. Do not leave the car and enter moving water.
- Avoid camping or parking along streams, rivers, and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.
Here is a video on El Nino… put on your rain boots, get out your umbrella, and enjoy.