SCE Crews Ready for Atmospheric River Storm
SCE Crews Ready for Atmospheric River Storm
Widespread rain, mountain snow and thunderstorms are moving into Southern California Edison’s service area this week, with the heaviest precipitation expected Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
”Our team of meteorologists is monitoring the storm system closely and we are conducting daily situational awareness calls to coordinate resources and prepare our response to outages,” said Melanie Jocelyn, SCE director of Business Resiliency.
The storm is expected to strengthen into an atmospheric river on Thursday, bringing the bulk of the rain, snow and wind. Most of Southern California will receive a few inches of rain, and debris flow could impact the burn scar areas from recent wildfires in the Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriel foothills. Parts of the Sierra Nevada mountain range are forecast to receive one to four feet of snow, including Mammoth Lakes and Highway 395. The storm system will also bring high winds, but Public Safety Power Shutoffs are not expected due to the low risk of fire.
“Be mindful of pooling water, especially while driving, and be extra cautious in foothill communities near burn scars,” said Ted Gribble, SCE principal manager of Wildfire and Public Safety. “Weather conditions can shift rapidly, and dangerous flash floods, mudslides, or debris flows are possible.”
SCE reminds customers never to touch or approach a downed wire, always stay at least 100 feet away and call 911 immediately. Here are some additional safety tips:
- Never try to remove a broken tree limb or branch that has come in contact with a power line.
- Install surge protectors to help safeguard valuable electronic equipment, such as computers and home entertainment systems.
- If you have an automatic garage door or gate, learn to open it manually (without power).
- Check your vehicle’s wiper blades and tire tread, use caution when driving and do not enter flooded areas. Contact your city or county emergency services offices for flood preparation and sandbag locations.
- Make a safety preparedness plan for your family that includes a list and location of emergency items such as water bottles, flashlights, first-aid kits, extra blankets, etc.
- Be prepared to meet the unique needs of infants, elderly or disabled family members. Also, plan how you will care for any pets.
To check on the status of an outage or report an outage, visit sce.com/outagemap.
For more information about SCE’s commitment to safety, visit sce.com/safety.