Bill Patzert has a message for Californians: get your kayaks ready.

It might seem bizarre to make a statement like that to a state that's seen in recent years, but with El Niño expected to peak in the coming months, anything is possible, the NASA scientist said. At a Tuesday gathering in Pasadena to discuss the possible effects of El Niño, Patzert told CBS Los Angeles that although the full wrath of this pattern has yet to be felt, .

"Everybody is impatient here in Southern California, 'where’s the El Niño?'" he told CBS L.A. "Sit tight. In January and February, you’ll essentially be riding your kayak in front of your home."

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If Patzert's worst-case prognostication comes to fruition, it wouldn't necessarily be the result of stronger storms, Patzert said. Rather, it's more likely, due to the El Niño pattern, that flooding would occur because of a relentless conveyor belt of rather normal storm systems hitting California, one after the next, he added.

Patzert earned the nickname "Prophet of California Climate" for his extensive studies on the Golden State and how it is impacted by climate change. In an August interview with the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Patzert said a strong El Niño , but it could come with a cost.

"Would be a huge down payment on the drought," he told the Tribune. "Of course you’d have to survive the mudslides and floods and the havoc."

A Real Fear?

Patzert's quotes are nothing short of shocking to weather experts and non-meteorologists alike, but is there truth to what he's saying?

So far, his projections have been correct. He coined the term "Godzilla El Niño" to describe the 1997-98 pattern that was one of the strongest in recent decades, and he that this year's pattern would be as strong or stronger than the one 18 years ago.

But a lot has to happen in the next few months if California's residents are going to need kayaks to commute to work.

"There is no guarantee that we will see overwhelming amounts of rain in Southern California in the months ahead. It's impossible to pinpoint just how wet and frequent the storm systems that may affect the region this winter and early spring will be," said weather.com meteorologist ."That said, if you live in a flood-prone location, you should also be prepared during the Southern California rainy season. Clean storm drains and debris that may cause water to back up. In addition, if you live near a mountain slope, be aware of the potential for debris flows, particularly near recent burn areas."

Better Safe Than Sorry, FEMA Said

Even though the flooding and mudslides are a much-debated worst-case scenario, it's one FEMA has warned against. In October, the agency urged all Californians .

"If there was ever a time to buy flood insurance, ," Roy Wright, FEMA's deputy associate administrator for insurance and mitigation, told the Los Angeles Times.

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