Severe weather stresses a home’s electrical system in three ways: lightning and surges, power loss and water. Each needs a different response, and the safe steps differ before, during and after the storm.
Key takeaways
- Prepare before the storm: sign up for Alert Long Beach, charge devices and test carbon monoxide alarms.
- Time guidance, not a statistic: NWS says to stay in safe shelter at least 30 minutes after the last thunder.
- Do not walk or drive through floodwater. FEMA’s message is Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
- Distance guidance, not a statistic: ESFI says to stay at least 35 feet from any fallen power line, then call 911.
- After water exposure, do not use affected equipment until a qualified electrician has inspected it. ESFI says to keep the power off until then.
Last checked: October 13, 2026, 3:40 AM PDT. Alerts, closures and outage maps change quickly, so use the live links in this guide before you act.
What happened in the Long Beach area
Tropical Storm Rachel, later described as a post-tropical system, brought heavy rain, coastal flooding and high surf to parts of Southern California between about October 9 and 12, 2026, and its remnant moisture reached Las Vegas. San Diego County’s alert page listed Tropical Cyclone Rachel on October 9, and the City of Newport Beach declared a local emergency for it. Impacts were not the same everywhere. For Long Beach, a report on October 10 mentioned damage to a boardwalk and five structures. Nearby, Newport Beach closed piers and some beaches and reported flooded streets on the Balboa Peninsula. Check the live NWS Los Angeles alerts before you act, because advisories change.
Power outage preparation: before severe weather
- Sign up for Alert Long Beach so city emergency messages reach your phone.
- Charge phones and battery lights. Keep flashlights ready, not candles.
- Know where your main breaker is. Do not test it or open the panel.
- Unplug electronics you do not need, and keep them off the floor in flood-prone areas.
- Test battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms, especially if you may use a generator.
- Find your electric provider. Many Long Beach homes are served by Southern California Edison, but check your bill. Long Beach Utilities handles other services.
“Stay in safe shelter at least 30 minutes after you hear the last sound of thunder.”
During an electrical storm and flooding
NWS lightning safety guidance is to go indoors when you hear thunder and wait about 30 minutes after the last thunder before going back outside. See NWS lightning safety tips for its current tips.
- Stay away from corded phones, plumbing and wet electrical equipment during lightning.
- Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water.
- Do not walk or drive through floodwater. FEMA’s message is Turn Around, Don’t Drown (Ready.gov floods).
- Stay at least 35 feet from fallen power lines and call 911.
- Run generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from doors, windows and vents.
After the storm: steps following water exposure
- Wait for official word that your area is safe. Stay out of standing water.
- Do not use or reset anything that was wet. Do not plug in appliances to see if they work.
- If you can reach the main power switch from a dry spot, shut off power. If reaching it means entering water, call an electrician (CDC).
- Take photos of the damage.
- Report utility-side problems such as downed lines or damaged meters: SCE 1-800-611-1911.
- Have a qualified electrician inspect wet wiring, panels and outlets before power is restored. ESFI says to keep power off in a flooded home until an electrician has inspected it.
- Replace or recondition only what the electrician advises.
Verified Long Beach and nearby resources
Use Alert Long Beach for city notices, Long Beach Public Works for street and flooding issues and Who Do I Call? to find the right department. Next door, the City of Newport Beach posts updates at its news page and has a main line at 949-644-3309 (not an emergency line).
Numbers to have on hand
- Emergency: fallen lines, fire, shock injury, carbon monoxide symptoms: 911
- Southern California Edison: outages and public safety hazards: 1-800-611-1911
- Riverside County Emergency Management: (951) 358-7100
- City of Newport Beach main line (not an emergency line): 949-644-3309
- Blue Moon Electrical electrical assistance line (24/7 call center): (213) 322-0128
Official resources for updates
Visit these pages for live alerts, closures and outage maps.
- NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard (Los Angeles, Orange County, Long Beach)https://www.weather.gov/lox/Live watches, warnings and advisories for the Los Angeles area.
- NWS: Lightning Safetyhttps://www.weather.gov/safety/lightningWhat to do during thunderstorms.
- Alert Long Beach (City of Long Beach)https://www.longbeach.gov/disasterpreparedness/alert-long-beach/Explains the city’s emergency alert system. Sign-up is at https://accountportal.onsolve.net/alertlb
- Long Beach Public Workshttps://www.longbeach.gov/pw/Flooding and street issues.
- Long Beach: Who Do I Call?https://www.longbeach.gov/whodoicall/Finds the right city department for a problem.
- Southern California Edison: check outage statushttps://www.sce.com/outages-safety/outage-center/check-outage-statusOutage status and restoration information.
- Southern California Edison: report an outage or safety issuehttps://www.sce.com/outages-safety/report-outage-safety-issueReporting outages and hazards. SCE lists 1-800-611-1911 for outages and public safety hazards.
- City of Newport Beach newshttps://www.newportbeachca.gov/trending/newsThe city’s latest storm and coastal flooding announcements.
- AlertSanDiego (County of San Diego)https://www.alertsandiego.org/Regional emergency updates, including the County’s Tropical Cyclone Rachel notice.
- Alert RivCo (Riverside County Emergency Management)https://emd.rivco.gov/alert-rivcoSign up for county emergency alerts.
- ESFI: Consumer Electrical Safety During Disastershttps://www.esfi.org/consumer-electrical-safety-during-disasters/Pre-storm steps, generator rules, downed line distance.
- CDC: Reentering Your Flooded Homehttps://www.cdc.gov/floods/safety/reentering-your-flooded-home-safety.htmlReturning to a flooded home safely.
- Ready.gov: Floodshttps://www.ready.gov/floodsFEMA flood safety, including floodwater and power line hazards.
- City of Newport Beach: coastal flood updatehttps://www.newportbeachca.gov/Home/Components/News/News/44934/2720Closures, sand berm requests and sandbag locations. The page is undated, so confirm it is still current.
- ESFI: Flood Electrical Safetyhttps://www.esfi.org/flood-electrical-safety-high-water-high-stakes/Electrical safety before and after flooding.
News reports and other sources cited
- Fox LA: Newport Beach flooding and local emergency, Tropical Storm Rachelhttps://www.foxla.com/news/newport-beach-flooding-emergency-tropical-storm-rachel.ampNews report used for Newport Beach, Long Beach and San Onofre impacts.
- AlertSanDiego: Tropical Cyclone Rachel noticehttps://www.alertsandiego.org/en-us/incident-page.1567.htmlCounty of San Diego incident page for the storm.
- City of Newport Beach: local emergency declared for Tropical Storm Rachel (October 9, 2026)https://www.newportbeachca.gov/Home/Components/News/News/44930/2720City announcement of the local emergency.
- NWS: Lightning Safety Tipshttps://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-tipsThunderstorm shelter guidance, including how long to wait after thunder.
Need an electrician for storm damage?
Blue Moon Electrical’s call center is open 24/7 at (213) 322-0128. Our electricians are available specifically for storm-related electrical problems during this critical period. In the areas we serve, we aim to reach customers within minutes to a few hours, depending on your location and how many calls are ahead of yours. You can also use our contact page. This is our electrical assistance line. For fallen power lines, fire, shock injuries or carbon monoxide symptoms, call 911 first.
