October 18, 2026
Forbodding forecasts are calling for an advanced likelihood that this winter will be a big one, driven by El Niño power we haven’t seen in 75 years. Here in Santa Barbara, the good news is that we’re generally keen on adverse weather events (even life-altering natural disasters). But perhaps recent heat waves and the magnetic pull of this fall’s warm ocean temps have partly clouded our brains on how to get our surroundings ready for nasty rain and wind in the coming months. If so, here’s a friendly reminder.
“Short term, it’s pretty simple,” said Steven Hanson of Steve Hanson Landscaping. “Keep things clean, especially your gutters, and make sure all the drainage on your property is operational.” Homeowners can conduct their own simple tests, for example, by putting the end of a garden hose on the roof to check for gutter and downspout clogging.
“And you want to deal with any deferred tree maintenance right away,” Hanson said. “Thin those trees and shrubs around your home. Get an arborist out there to get recommendations on what they call safety pruning.” To protect against storm-driven windfall, a good tree guy can also recommend cabling strategies for unwieldy or top-heavy oaks, sycamores and eucalyptus.
Looking at the big picture, Hansen added, “You don’t want your house as the low point; you want all the drainage to fall away from your home and garden, and you don’t want any major puddling.” Remedies on this scale can often fall into a “bigger project” category, he said, and could include adding permeable surfaces to areas surrounding your home. For example, instead of a concrete walkway, opt for gravel or for pavers or flagstone set with enough spacing to allow water to pass through and soak into the earth beneath.
Speaking of the big picture, now’s the time to review any flood coverage in your homeowners insurance policy. Update it if you find it lacking. And while you’re in the headspace, sign up for emergency alerts at readysbc.org and — just in case — get acquainted with the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District’s sandbag location page (countyofsb.org/pw-sandbags). As they say: Better safe than you-know-what.