A Strong El Niño Is Coming: How to Protect Your Home This Winter

This winter is shaping up to be one to prepare for.  According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, a strong-to-very-strong El Niño is likely to continue through early 2027, and it may end up as one of the strongest on record.  NOAA's winter outlook favors wetter-than-average conditions across the southern U.S., including Southern California.

What does that mean for us here?  During El Niño years, the storm track tends to shift south, sending more Pacific storms our way.  That doesn't guarantee a disastrous winter.  Local National Weather Service forecasters have cautioned that El Niño raises the odds of big storms but isn't a forecast of any specific storm.  Their advice, and ours, is the same: prepare now, whatever the winter brings.

Whether you own your home, rent it out, or keep it as a second home, here's where to start.

1. Clear your gutters and downspouts

After a long, dry summer, gutters are full of leaves and debris.  When they overflow, water runs down your siding and pools at your foundation.  Clean them out, make sure downspouts flow freely, and point them several feet away from the house.  Downspout extensions are inexpensive and make a real difference.

2. Check your drainage

Clear leaves and debris from yard drains, drainage channels, and grates near driveways and patios.  Watch how water moves across your property during the first rain.  If it flows toward the house or pools near the foundation, now is the time to fix it, not in January.

3. Get your roof inspected

Look from the ground for missing, cracked, or lifted shingles and tiles, and anything loose around vents and chimneys.  Better yet, have a roofer take a look.  In a wet winter, roofers' schedules fill up quickly once the storms start.

4. Seal windows and doors

Check the caulking and weatherstripping on windows and exterior doors.  Wind-driven rain will find any gap.

5. Trim trees and secure outdoor items

Saturated soil and strong winds can bring down dead or weak branches, and sometimes whole trees.  Have trees near your home checked and trimmed.  Secure or store patio furniture, umbrellas, and anything that could blow around or block a drain.

6. Pick up sandbags early

If your property is in a low-lying area or has had water problems before, have sandbags on hand before you need them.  Santa Barbara and Ventura counties typically offer sandbags at public locations during the rainy season.  Check your county's website for current locations and don't wait for the first big storm, when everyone else is looking for them too.

7. Protect what's on the ground

Move boxes, paperwork, and valuables in garages, basements, and sheds up off the floor.  Even a little standing water can ruin them.

8. Know your shutoffs

Make sure everyone in the household knows where the main water shutoff is, and test that it turns.  It's also smart to know how to shut off your electricity and gas if you ever need to.

9. Hillside, creekside, and burn-area properties: take extra care

Our region knows firsthand how dangerous heavy rain can be on steep slopes and near burn scars.  If your home sits on a hillside, near a creek, or below an area that has burned, watch for new cracks in the ground, leaning fences or retaining walls, and changes in drainage.  Sign up for your county's emergency alerts, know your evacuation route, and take evacuation warnings seriously.

10. Review your insurance now

Many standard homeowners policies do not cover flood or mudflow damage, and flood policies often have a waiting period before coverage starts.  Call your insurance agent now to find out what you're covered for and what your options are.  Take photos or a video of your home and belongings so you have a record if you ever need to file a claim.

For tenants

Report leaks, drips, or water stains to your property manager right away.  Small leaks turn into big problems in a wet winter.  If you don't have renter's insurance, consider it.  Your landlord's policy generally doesn't cover your personal belongings.

For second-home owners

If you're away for part of the winter, a problem can go unnoticed for days or weeks.  Having someone inspect the home before and after major storms can catch a leak, a blocked drain, or storm damage before it gets worse.

We're here to help

King & Company Property Management looks after residential homes and second homes throughout Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Westlake Village.  If you'd like help getting your property ready for El Niño, or someone to keep an eye on it while you're away, call us at 805.617.3838 or email mk@KingnCompany.com.