Getting weather savvy

January kicks off the start of the new year and our region’s heaviest rain period. In Santa Clara County, we tend to receive the majority of our rain during the months of January and February, and sometimes March.

Committed to keeping communities safe with its flood protection programs, the Santa Clara Valley Water District advises residents to learn where and how to access weather advisories and stay tuned in to the season’s temperature and storm forecasts.

Fortunately, there’s a variety of ways to stay up-to-date and a number of channels that provide this information.

• Follow the National Weather Service – Bay Area chapter on Facebook and Twitter for the latest advisories and forecasts. These social media sites have constant updates with graphics and satellite models to explain weather conditions.
• Download the ReadySCC emergency preparedness app on your smartphone. This free app available on Google Play or Apple App store helps you create a detailed family emergency plan with a step-by-step shopping list for your emergency kit. You can also receive weather alerts and emergency notifications on your cell phone.
• Tune in to local radio and TV stations for the latest reports on the weather. In Santa Clara County you can follow various radio stations such as KCBS (740 AM), KGO (810 AM), KHZ San Jose International Airport (530 AM), and KLIV (1590 AM) for emergency information.

The water district also has been working on developing the Flood Watch Tool, a map-based stream monitoring tool.  With this helpful instrument, residents can be vigilant of their flood risks during a storm. The map features more than a dozen flood-prone locations with active gauges that provide preliminary real-time data on stream flows and reservoir levels. Each location also has a description of flood risks per stage, including the neighborhoods and streets that could be impacted.

To learn more about how to use the Flood Watch Tool, view a brief video below.

Get more tips and resources on becoming flood-ready this rain season on www.valleywater.org/floodready.