Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday declared a statewide emergency in California to prepare for a strong El Niño forecast that could bring major winter storms and heavy rainfall.
The governor’s office said the declaration is meant to speed up state action as the weather pattern strengthens and threatens to break existing records. El Niño forms when trade winds weaken near the equator in the Pacific, warming ocean waters and shifting the jet stream south, which can bring stronger rain and flooding to the West and South, according to NOAA.
Under the emergency order, state agencies can immediately move to protect vulnerable areas, inspect roads and critical infrastructure, pre-position relief supplies and reduce risks from flooding, landslides and coastal erosion. Caltrans will stage snow-removal and traffic-control equipment near highways at higher risk of slides or closures, and the California National Guard will be prepared for search-and-rescue, engineering and logistics support.
The order also reduces red tape so flood-control and landslide-prevention work can move through permitting faster. Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the California Office of Emergency Services, said officials will act before storms arrive, underscoring the state’s push for early preparation.
