Mountain residents preparing for yet another storm

With yet another powerful storm hitting the Southland on Tuesday, many residents living in areas already feeling the impact of the unusually rainy season are doing their best to prepare for the worst. 

This round of rain has heightened concerns for increased flooding and debris flow, with some evacuation warnings already being doled out before the storm makes its way into the area. 

In the San Bernardino Mountains, snow has already begun to melt in many mountain communities, which could further increase that chance for flooding.

County workers have been busy in recent days, working to displace the current snow and move it out of problem areas. The most recent storm brought feet of snow to the area resulting in blocked roads and residents trapped in their homes, with the dilemma still lasting weeks later. As they just start to pick up the pieces, the incoming storm has them worried and on edge. 

They've also inspected more than 150 different high-priority culverts, and dug out other flood channels to make room for the coming rain. 

Residents are warned to expect up to four inches of rain through Wednesday, with local authorities advising that they make sure to stock up on necessities like food, water and firewood. 

"Well, this time, as a matter of fact, I'm gonna buy a couple more items of food, some milk and things just to get ready," said Running Springs resident James Johnson, who was snowed in for nine days during the blizzard. "I'm worried about the rain only because of the slides, our house is pretty safe it's up on top of the hill so I'm not worried about flooding that much."

San Bernardino County Fire Department crews already planning to place extra engine crews in places near bodies of water so they can rapidly respond to any flooding emergencies or swift water rescues that may occur. 

On top of the threat of getting stuck ahead, locals are hopeful to see less damage than what the last storm caused. 

Avi Matanky, the Executive Director of Bnei Akiva of Los Angeles, a summer camp and Jewish retreat center in Running Springs.

"Our main dining hall building essentially collapsed under the weight of the snow accumulation," he said. "The building is... it's gone."

While they hope they can everything prepared for campers to return as soon as possible, the uncertainty of the next storm has them concerned that the site could suffer even further damage.

"We've tried as much as possible in our facility to prepare the site for the rain," he said, noting that extra labor was brought in to clear roofs of snow on top of other steps taken.

Mountain High Resort is temporarily closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to the storm.