Powerful Winter Storm Brings Heavy Rain, Snow

An atmospheric river is fueling a strong storm system over California and raising concerns about possible mudslides in recent burn areas. SCE crews are ready to respond to potential power outages.
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Stories : Safety
Stories : Safety

Powerful Winter Storm Brings Heavy Rain, Snow

An atmospheric river is fueling a strong storm system over California and raising concerns about possible mudslides in recent burn areas. SCE crews are ready to respond to potential power outages.

A powerful winter storm fueled by an atmospheric river is slowly making its way across California. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm watches and warnings for several areas in the Southland through Friday.

Ventura County will see rains starting on Wednesday while Los Angeles County will see the heaviest rains on Thursday and Friday. Debris flow and mudslides are possible with powerful rain expected. Riverside County has issued evacuation warnings for residents living in burn scar areas of the Apple and El Dorado fires.

Southern California Edison is bracing for possible power outages and its crews are ready to respond to storm damage and calls for repairs. The utility also reminds customers to never approach or touch a downed power line and to call 911 immediately.

An atmospheric river is fueling a powerful storm system over the Southland.
An atmospheric river is fueling a powerful storm system over the Southland.

“With this powerful storm system entering our service area over the next few days, debris flow and mudslides are possible in burn areas and could result in power outages,” said Neal Hunstein, SCE incident commander overseeing the current storm event. “We have prepped extra crews who are ready to respond to any needed repairs.”

Rainstorms can cause downed power lines to land in puddles and wet grass, causing them to be electrified. Never step into water or wet grass near a downed power line and call 911.

Customers can report or inquire about outages at 800-611-1911 and get the latest outage information at sce.com/outages. Updates are also available at twitter.com/sce and facebook.com/sce.

Here are some additional winter storm safety tips:

  • Winter weather can cause power lines to fall. Downed wires can electrify puddles, wet grass and the surrounding area. Never touch or step in water near a downed wire since it can be electrified. If you see a downed wire, call 911. Inform the operator it is an electrical emergency.
  • Beware during flooding. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down and 2 feet can sweep your vehicle away.
  • Never try to remove a broken tree limb or branch that has come in contact with a power line.
  • Make sure you have battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they are fresh. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage. Do not use candles 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.
  • Do not leave your space heater unattended and unplug it when not in use. Consider getting a space heater that has an automatic shut-off.
  • When power is out, traffic signals may be out, so approach those intersections as four-way stops.

For more safety tips, visit: sce.com/safety.