State Asked to Help Central Coast Prepare For a Possibly Very Wet Winter

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY,  Calif. (KEYT) - The forecast of a wet winter is too real to ignore, and local leaders are getting set if it should materialize.

The Santa Barbara County Association of Government  (SBCAG) is asking Governor Gavin Newsom to issue a statewide order to expedite work to reduce flood risks. A letter to Newsom has been authorized and supported by local cities and the county.

Forecasters say there is a 69% chance of a historic El Niño that would exceed the strength of previous El Niño events dating back to 1950.

Montecito is on area that is not known to handle strong continuous rainfall. One reason is the lack of concrete drainage areas. Those exist in Carpinteria and Santa Barbara.

Help from the state, combined with work from the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department, will continue to clear vegetation that could become a problem in big storms by clogging waterways and leading to unexpected areas of flooding.

SBCAG stresses the benefits of work in advance of a disaster and the tremendous costs that come after an event if cleanup and repairs could take years of works, permits and the attempts at funding assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Already this year, the county has warned that FEMA support may come at a slower pace based on policy decisions from Washington.

(More details, video and photos will be added here later today.)

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.