California declares statewide emergency ahead of historic ‘El Niño'

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order declaring a statewide state of emergency on Monday, ahead of what forecasters predict will be the strongest El Niño ever recorded.

The order mandates state agency involvement in flood-risk reduction, the deployment of sandbags and pumps, and the positioning of essential machinery. Caltrans will prepare traffic control, road closures, and snow removal machinery along highways that are at risk. The California National Guard will be ready for assistance in flood management, search-and-rescue operations, and logistics activities.

“The developing El Niño episode is already setting records, and the forecasters anticipate that the weather system will continue to strengthen and potentially become the strongest on record,” said Newsom's office. “This emergency proclamation allows California to prepare for this historic event.”

There is more than a 90% chance of a very strong El Niño occurring this year's fall and winter seasons, according to federal weather forecasters, with a 75% chance that it may set historic records. El Niño is known to cause heavy rainfall, wind, mountain snowfall, flooding, landslides, and coastal flooding in California.

In the current year, a number of counties have already declared a state of local emergency due to erosion of their beaches caused by strong storms. Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and Carlsbad have already declared a state of local emergency during the past week; Orange County’s emergency operations centre was put into service,

and Santa Barbara County has received a separate declaration of emergency. In addition, the Governor has declared a state of emergency in Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Mendocino, Santa Barbara, and Lake counties.