Are You Prepared for El Nino?

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- This year's West Coast weather forecast is looking wet, windy and wild as El Niño continues to strengthen in the Pacific Ocean. The ongoing drought in California, mixed with the threat of heavy rains, puts residents, pets and property in serious storm danger. You can't control the weather, but you can prepare for it.

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 more than $550 million in storm damage within the state of California alone, bringing record-breaking rainfall according to NOAA. Mercury reported a 39 percent increase in homeowner claims, and claims in impacted areas increased by 99 percent.

Don't get caught in the rain without an umbrella…and a plan to deal with the inclement weather. For more information visit: http://bit.ly/PrepareElNino.

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SOURCE Mercury Insurance Group