If you've checked the latest weather report for Los Angeles, you're likely freaking out, just like we are. With rain in the forecast five out of seven days this week, and more leading into next week, these are considered the first major El Niño-related storms since all the hype began—so it's no wonder Mayor Eric Garcetti held a news conference Sunday night about the need for city dwellers to take precautions this week. Overdramatic? We don't think so; Angelenos can't handle light rain in even the best of circumstances.
Though originally the first sign of wet weather was supposed to hit Monday morning, our spotty blue skies say otherwise, and in fact an updated weather report now only has a 10 percent chance of rain today. But Tuesday and Wednesday are a different story, with a definitive 100 percent chance of rain.
At the news conference on Sunday night, Garcetti urged Angelenos to prepare for flooding and flowing debris, according to ABC 7 Channel News.
"This storm is real and it's coming. So this week, there are things that you can do right away, from clearing out storm drains to making sure if you live in the hillside areas (that) you come to your neighborhood fire station where you can get sandbags," he said.
Many people are taking him up on his advice. Coastal areas, like the Redondo Beach Pier, have prepared for the storm with sandbags protecting businesses as early as Saturday.
If the weather reports are right, we certainly hope you guys took us up on our list of things to do in LA before El Niño officially hits, because we think we'll be hiding in our apartments, safely off the roads, for the rest of the week. But hey, at least we'll get a nice dose of petrichor.
For updates, resource information or to report an El Niño-related problem, go to www.elninola.com.