Update on California after heavy snow in 2023
Lake Arrowhead resident Lisa Griggs shares her past year in California with
record amounts of snowfall and how her community is preparing for this snow season.
record amounts of snowfall and how her community is preparing for this snow season.
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00:00 We want to take a look back on 2023,
00:02 so we're going to take everyone to San
00:04 Bernardino, CA this morning where it is all quiet.
00:07 We are looking for some rain a little
00:09 later on tomorrow late tonight tomorrow.
00:12 Boy, it's been a much different start
00:14 of the wet season in California
00:16 compared to what we had last year.
00:19 Of course, record amounts of snow
00:21 fell in the California mountains
00:22 above Santa Bernardina last year.
00:24 We frequently checked in with Lisa
00:26 Griggs, a Lake Arrowhead resident,
00:28 who lives in one of the largest snowfall areas.
00:31 You know, Lisa,
00:32 it just seemed like it was just
00:34 yesterday that you and I and then
00:37 Christina were talking, but but certainly
00:39 it's been a much much different winter
00:42 so far this year compared the last.
00:46 Thank God, Bernie.
00:48 We're done with the snow.
00:54 Everybody here is praying that
00:55 we just get rain honestly.
00:57 Yeah, and how long did it take you by the
01:01 way to fully recover from last winter?
01:04 I think you guys asked that last.
01:08 I don't know that things ever
01:10 really will be back to normal.
01:12 I think the community has major PTSD
01:15 because every time there is a call for
01:18 snow all the shelves are cleared out
01:21 and there's like a run on food and
01:24 supplies and all kinds of stuff so.
01:27 I don't know.
01:28 I think it took several months
01:30 because I was talking to Christina.
01:32 We had snow all the way into May.
01:34 I remember May 4th we got 6 inches so
01:37 we had 110 inches in five days during
01:39 that whole storm and I think it was
01:42 just months before it ever really,
01:44 really all went away.
01:45 I was like June or July.
01:49 Lisa, one of the things I always like
01:51 to talk about is I feel like everyone,
01:53 you know, has this perspective that like,
01:55 oh, their weather has to be the worst.
01:57 I got a whole 10 inches of snow.
01:58 It must be the worst.
02:00 Can you put in perspective what 110 inches
02:03 of snow is like for people who--
02:04 - It's like what is that?
02:05 It's like nine feet, right?
02:07 - Yeah.
02:08 - So, Christina, imagine like the,
02:10 literally the snow is all the way up
02:12 to the roof lines of the homes.
02:15 So, if you're in a one story house,
02:18 like it's all the way around your windows.
02:22 I mean, yeah, there you go right there.
02:25 - It was a perfect perspective of just how incredible
02:30 that amount of snow was and that we were even able
02:34 to get it all moved out and it was horrible.
02:38 It was a really, really horrible time for us
02:41 as a community because we had to adapt
02:44 and overcome and pivot very, very quickly.
02:48 And thank God we live in a beautiful community
02:51 and we have amazing, amazing people here
02:55 that really pulled together to help their neighbors.
02:59 - And did you see any changes?
03:01 Do you think there were any changes as far
03:04 as how the community would handle events
03:07 like this in the future?
03:08 - I think there was a lot of talk about how
03:13 to kind of maybe get out ahead of this in the future.
03:18 I think that definitely VOAD and Volunteers Active
03:22 on Disaster needed to be called in sooner.
03:25 But I think definitely the shift was get
03:29 to know your neighbor, make sure that you're prepared
03:32 for these things.
03:33 I mean, obviously, how much can we prepare?
03:35 But know that you're not alone, but in the sense
03:40 that you will have to take care of yourself.
03:44 So, make sure that you just get out ahead of things
03:47 and that you're prepared as much as possible.
03:52 - And Lisa, I have to ask you here for our last question.
03:55 You and I were talking behind the scenes.
03:57 The thoughts crossed your mind of maybe moving
04:00 down the mountain, right?
04:01 I mean, after a winter like that, I can't blame you.
04:04 - Yeah, I mean, obviously my businesses are calling me
04:09 probably more down into the city right now,
04:11 but I think the mountain is a beautiful place,
04:14 a beautiful community.
04:16 I will say this, everywhere you drive around this community,
04:20 there are more houses for sale than have ever been for sale.
04:25 So, before the storm, there was very little inventory.
04:30 And now when I drive around, it's not unusual to see three,
04:34 four, five houses in a row or on a street
04:39 that have signs for sale.
04:43 So, I think there's a lot of people
04:46 that are selling right now
04:48 and the market has definitely shifted.
04:51 - Wow, I mean, after last year, can't blame them.
04:54 - All right, Lisa, thanks for joining us.
04:56 And as always, we will be in touch this winter.
04:59 - Thank you.