CRU-USA, the US office of CRU Adjusters, is currently readying to assist carriers during the coming fall El Niño . A strong El Niño arrives about once every 20 years. These weather phenomena peak in the December-January time frame, so the largest impacts could be due about then.
Fact: El Niño seasons can be extremely destructive!
Copious amounts of rain, which occurs often during this type of weather pattern, can lead to problems for California. Flooding and mudslides could prove devastating for home and property owners. This will especially be a problem over areas where rampant wildfires have charred millions of acres.
And Tuesday’s update from various news sources said it’s shaping up to be the strongest El Niño since 1997-98, which was the biggest in records going back to 1950.
Ocean temperatures show this one to be the second-strongest since records began in 1950. That would make it weaker than the El Niño of 1997-98 but stronger than the El Niño of 1982-83.
Both of those winters were known in California for relentless rain, strong winds and heavy snow. Waves pounded the coast, mudslides rolled down mountainsides and flooding swamped property and claimed lives.
In 1997-1998 storms blamed on El Niño killed at least 17 people, wiped out strawberry and artichoke crops, pushed houses off foundations and washed out major roads. Damage was estimated at more than $500 million.
The 1982-83 season resulted in 36 people dead, more than 7900 homes and businesses damaged or destroyed, and caused $1.2 billion in losses.
Meteorologists agree that California’s weather will be much more active than last winter.
But El Niños can also cause damage in other areas of the US. Farther south, forecasters are concerned it will lead to exceptional storminess. After California, the storms will come barreling across the southern Plains and Southeast often drag fairly impressive cold fronts across the Gulf Coast. And once they head into Florida, the result is explosive thunderstorms and very heavy rainfall.
“Just like everyone else, we are monitoring the potential damage that can occur with this type of event,” said Kyle Winston, CRU president. “In a case like this it is a matter of knowing where our client exposure is and making sure we have support in the field when we are called.”
About CRU:
Catastrophe Response Unit is a Canadian-based independent adjusting company. Operating throughout North America, CRU provides residential, commercial, auto, and environmental services to its partner insurance carriers, and through its training arm, Academy of Insurance Adjusting (AIA), adjuster training. Utilizing the latest technology and industry proven processes, we provide exceptional customer service while managing the loss adjusting expense and indemnity.
Visit www.cruadjusters.com or call 647.694.2988.
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