Newsom Declares California Emergency as Historic El Niño Develops

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency as the state prepares for potentially severe winter weather associated with a strengthening El Niño, which federal forecasters say has a 75% chance of reaching historic strength, Nina Joudeh reported for California Post.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency on Sept. 21 as forecasters warned of potentially severe weather during a strengthening El Niño.

The emergency proclamation allows California to mobilize resources and accelerate preparations for potential winter storms, flooding, landslides, debris flows and coastal flooding.

The governor’s office said agencies will stage emergency supplies, prepare vulnerable roads and infrastructure, and strengthen flood-response capabilities.

El Niño is a natural climate pattern characterized by unusually warm sea-surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific.

It can alter atmospheric circulation and shift weather patterns, increasing the likelihood of wetter and more intense winter conditions in parts of California.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center said El Niño is strengthening and gave it a greater than 90% chance of becoming a very strong event during the Northern Hemisphere fall and winter of 2026-27.

NOAA also gave the October-December period a 75% chance of reaching historic strength, defined as exceeding the strength of previous events dating back to 1950 under the agency’s measurement framework.

The forecast does not mean California is certain to experience record-breaking storms or rainfall.

NOAA explicitly notes that even with an event of historic strength, El Niño-related impacts are not guaranteed.

California officials are preparing for possible heavy rain, strong winds, flooding, landslides, debris flows, large waves and coastal flooding, particularly when storms coincide with high tides.

During El Niño, changes in tropical Pacific ocean temperatures affect atmospheric circulation and can shift the position and strength of the Pacific jet stream, influencing weather patterns across the United States.