California Declares Emergency as Potentially Historic El Nino Approaches

September 22, 2026 | 09:32 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency as the US West Coast prepares for what forecasters expect could be a historically strong El Nino, with the weather pattern potentially bringing powerful storms, flooding and coastal damage.

As reported by AFP and cited by Yahoo News, Newsom issued the emergency proclamation on Monday, September 21, saying California needed to prepare for severe weather before it arrived. The declaration allows state agencies to mobilize resources more quickly and stage supplies and equipment ahead of the expected winter impacts.

“This action is about giving communities the support they need, giving first responders the tools to do their jobs, and giving families the confidence that their state is ready,” Newsom said.

“We are preparing for this El Nino early because every Californian deserves to be safe in their home, connected to their community, and protected when severe weather comes.”

The proclamation directs state agencies to prepare for flooding, landslides, debris flows and coastal risks. It also calls for flood-fighting supplies such as sandbags and pumps to be staged in advance and prepares the California National Guard to support flood response, search-and-rescue, engineering and logistics operations if needed.

El Nino Raises Severe Weather Risks

El Niño is the warm phase of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, a natural climate pattern involving changes in ocean temperatures and atmospheric circulation across the tropical Pacific.

The phenomenon generally occurs every two to seven years. It develops when trade winds weaken, allowing warm water that normally accumulates in the western Pacific to move eastward toward the surface.

The resulting changes in ocean temperatures can affect weather patterns around the world, producing wetter or stormier conditions in some regions and hotter or drier conditions in others.

For California, El Nino can increase the risk of strong winter storms, heavy rain, flooding, landslides, debris flows, erosion and coastal flooding. However, El Niño does not guarantee any particular weather event or outcome.

El Nino Forecast to Reach Historic Strength

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center said in its September 10 outlook that El Nino was strengthening and had a greater than 90% chance of becoming a very strong event during the Northern Hemisphere fall and winter of 2026-27.

The agency also gave the October-December period a 75% chance of producing a historic El Niño that would exceed the strength of previous events dating back to 1950.

Sea surface temperature anomalies in the eastern equatorial Pacific had already exceeded 3 degrees Celsius, according to the NOAA outlook.

Climate change can also influence the effects of El Nino. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, potentially intensifying rainfall, while changes in soil moisture can worsen drought conditions in areas where El Niño brings drier weather.

California Already Seeing Coastal Damage

California's coastline has already experienced storm-related damage as the state prepares for the coming winter.

Recent storms have caused coastal erosion and damage to homes in parts of Southern California. Coastal conditions also forced the cancellation of a music festival in Santa Monica that was scheduled to feature The Killers, Olivia Dean and Jack White.

The state's emergency declaration is intended to help officials prepare for potentially severe conditions rather than wait until major storms arrive. State officials have urged communities to prepare for possible flooding, landslides, power outages and other impacts associated with a strong El Nino.

Read: Indonesia Confident Food Supply Remains Strong Amid Extreme El Nino

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