El Nino Facts for your home

So, what exactly is El Niño?

El Niño occurs when the Pacific Ocean water temperature becomes abnormally warm near the equator. This seemingly small change can dramatically impact weather throughout the United States. It typically means more rain in the southern part of the country; cooler temperatures in the Desert Southwest, Southern Plains and Northern Gulf Coast; warmer temperatures in northern states from the Pacific Northwest all the way across the country to the Northeast; and less rain and snowfall for the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes and Northern Rockies. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that El Niño will likely continue through the winter of 2016. While this might provide some relief from the four-year drought currently affecting much of the West, it may also bring severe rains, winds, flooding and mudslides. The last strong El Niño took place during the winter of 1997-1998 and caused $550 million in storm damage within the state of California alone, as it brought record-breaking rainfall to the region. Mercury reported a 39 percent increase in homeowner claims and claims in impacted areas jumped 99 percent. Mother Nature answers to no one, but there are things you can do during the calm before the storm to help minimize the damage. Here are a few things you can do to protect your family, pets and personal property when the rain begins to fall. 1. Update your Homeowner’s Insurance and Inventory List Homeowner policies protect personal property, but many policyholders neglect to update them when purchases and home renovations are made. The best practice is to review and update your policy once a year. Ask yourself: do I have the coverage I need to replace all of my valuables and home if they are damaged or destroyed? Create an inventory list to document your personal property and keep it in a water safe and fire resistant box. This will help you determine the amount of coverage you need and simplify the claim process should you suffer a loss. If you rent, consider renters insurance to help protect your personal property in the event they suffer weather damage or other covered loss. 2. National Flood Insurance Standard homeowners and renters insurance policies typically do not cover flood and mudflow damage. Recent drought and fires in the West could lead to dangerous consequences when the rains begin to fall, because many hillsides have been stripped of vegetation that hold them in place. With these anchors gone, it’s very possible the heavy rains could weaken the hillsides and create severe mudslides. Flash flooding is also a very real possibility, because the hard, dried out soil doesn’t absorb as much water and this can lead to sudden, fast-moving water – a combination with the capacity to do a lot of damage. Check the flood map to see if your home is located in a flood plain, and purchase National Flood Insurance if you feel your property is at risk.