09/29/2026
Your landscape can tell you a lot when it rains—and this winter may give us plenty of opportunities to pay attention.
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NOAA currently has an El Niño Advisory in effect, with El Niño strengthening and a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event through fall and winter 2026–27. Its latest seasonal outlook also favors wetter-than-normal conditions across California later this winter, with probabilities reaching 50–60% near the coast during portions of winter and early spring.
That doesn’t guarantee an unusually wet winter at any individual property. But it does make this a good time to start paying attention.
Some drainage issues are almost invisible during Southern California’s dry months. Then the rain arrives.
Low spots hold water.
Drains can’t keep up.
Runoff finds unexpected paths.
Slopes begin to erode.
Soil stays saturated.
Plants that were perfectly happy suddenly struggle.
Our advice: the next time it rains, grab your rain boots and walk your property. Watch where the water comes from, where it collects, how quickly it moves and where it ultimately ends up.
Take photos or videos of anything concerning. They can be incredibly helpful when diagnosing a drainage problem later.
Because when it comes to water, your landscape will usually show you what it needs.
Save this one for the first real rain. ☔️
Brookside Landscape Design | San Diego County, California
Landscape Design + Project Management
📸: Emma Almendarez Shay Studios Photography team
