March Rains Follow a Month of February Storms
March is starting off much like February left off — a lot rainier in the Southland then it has been in recent years.
Starting midweek, the National Weather Service is predicting high winds and heavy rains of up to three inches in some areas through Thursday. The atmospheric river conditions will be heaviest in the central areas of the state.
Southern California Edison has extra crews and personnel monitoring weather systems in case high winds and potential lightning cause additional power outages.
Flash flood watches have been issued for portions of the western Sierra slopes, including Shaver Lake, through Wednesday evening. Winter storm watches have been issued for Mono County and the Sierras starting Tuesday morning through Wednesday night.
SCE reminds customers that downed trees and mudslides may have damaged electrical lines. If you come across any downed wires, stay away and call 911.
Customers can report or inquire about outages at 800-611-1911 and get the latest information using the SCE outages app at sce.com/outages. They can also stay informed by visiting sce.com/staysafe, twitter.com/sce and facebook.com/sce.
Storm Safety Tips:
- SCE reminds customers to be careful when traffic signals are not working. Remember to approach those intersections as four-way stops.
- Wet yards with puddles on cement or grass can carry electricity. If a line is down in your yard, remain indoors and call 911 immediately.
- Never try to remove a broken tree limb or branch that has come in contact with a power line.
- Make sure you have a battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they’re fresh. Never use candles for lighting because they pose a fire hazard.
- If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using heavy-duty extension cords. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews.
