Are you ready for El Nino?

I know L.A.

It’s still 80+ degrees every single day, and yet November is just days away.

So hard to imagine even a slight chill in the air, let alone torrential downpours and wait for it — YES, an opportunity to wear a sweater and boots.

My prediction, as some of you know, is that we will go straight from our endless summer smack dab into endless days of rain. While after a four year drought this may sound like manna from heaven; if your roof is leaking or your windshield wipers go kaput while you’re stuck in traffic on the 405, you won’t exactly be singing in the rain.

So, what to do to get ready for our friend El Nino? — which by the way, could drop up to 35 inches of rain this winter – OY!!!

photo courtesy of the L.A. Times

Start by taking stock and preparing now, while it’s still dry. Key areas to address are your home, garage, outdoor spaces, car and ensuring your disaster supplies are in order.

The Los Angeles Times recommends 28 things you can do to prepare for El Nino, including:

Fix roof leaks
Clean gutters and downspouts
Invest in a generator
Paint exterior wood trim to prevent water leaks
Re-caulk windows
Buy sandbags and heavy plastic sheeting (just in case)
Check the battery, wipers, lights and brakes on your car
Keep emergency supplies in your car

The Daily News and Realtor.com have compiled some suggestions as well.

I would also suggest that you transfer any boxed items in your garage to watertight storage bins and move them a few feet off the ground in case of any water leaks or potential floods.

Once you have prepared your home to be a safe harbor, you can switch gears to dusting off your umbrellas and unearthing all your rain gear that hasn’t seen the light of day in eons. Should a little shopping be in order I’ve got you covered.

First on my list of must needed rain items are a good (and of course stylish) pair of rain boots. I’m not about to ruin my suede booties attempting to leap across a three-feet wide puddle of water on my way to the latest hipster spot for dinner.

Hunter Rainboots

While mudrooms are not common in California, we still need a place to dry out those wet boots and shoes. Welcome the boot tray. What a nifty invention. Doesn’t take up a lot of space, yet a great solution.