SANTA ANA, Calif. — After four years of severe drought, the forecast for a possible “Godzilla-like” El Nino event has communities throughout California clearing out debris basins, encouraging local residents to stock up on emergency supplies, according to the Associated Press.

Some are even asserting that this projected El Nino could impact the 50th Super Bowl, stated the article.

Officials in San Francisco, reported the article, are working to find ways to contend with potential street closures as a result of extensive rain or street flooding during the Super Bowl this February.

“As we move forward with Super Bowl planning, this is one of the things we’ve put out to various departments and entities,” said Rob Dudgeon, deputy director of San Francisco’s department of emergency management, in the article. “What if it has been raining really hard? What if it has been raining three or four days?”

The upcoming El Nino event is already the second strongest on record for this time of the year, according to federal meteorologists, continued the article.

Mike Halpert, deputy director of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, reported that California would need 1.5 times its normal rainfall to get out of the state’s extended drought, which is unlikely, informed the article.

During early rains, added the article, emergency planners stated that the state’s prolonged dry conditions could result in more debris, flooding and fallen trees.

“The potential for flooding is a very definite possibility with strong storms after a drought,” said Tammy Dunbar, emergency planning coordinator for Santa Clara County, in the article.

Bob Spencer, a spokesman for Los Angeles County’s public works department, said that workers in the county have been clearing channels and basins to prevent flooding as well as to capture as much stormwater as possible to replenish local water supplies, noted the article.

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