Ahead of El Niño this winter, Governor Newsom prepares California for winter storms and flooding impacts

California steps up

While President Trump proposes deep cuts that would shift greater costs and responsibilities to states and local governments, California is taking action: strengthening statewide coordination, expanding local partnerships and investing in the personnel and infrastructure needed to protect communities from increasingly severe disasters.

Advanced forecasting. DWR is working with research partners at the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to incorporate advanced forecasting tools into planning for this winter.
Modernized all-hazards command center. Governor Newsom announced the opening of a modernized State Operations Center at Cal OES in Mather to coordinate faster, smarter disaster response. It replaces a facility that had not had a major renovation since it opened in 2000.
Disaster intelligence satellites. Governor Newsom is adding satellite technology to California’s disaster response. Cal OES is expanding its ability to receive near-real-time information on floods and other disasters through an agreement with ICEYE, a satellite-imaging company that helps governments assess disaster damage from space.
Swiftwater vehicle deployments. Governor Newsom announced new rescue vehicles, boats and equipment for 13 local fire departments. Each team gets new heavy-duty tow vehicles, rescue trailers, two motorized inflatable boats and updated protective gear. The teams respond to water emergencies in their own communities and deploy statewide through the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System when other communities need help.

What is El Niño?

El Niño refers to the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Usually, the tropical western Pacific is warmer than the tropical eastern Pacific. In El Niño, that pattern reverses, and the eastern Pacific warms significantly. This changes circulation and precipitation patterns around the world.

Specific local impacts are unpredictable, but El Niño often brings more frequent and intense storms over California. These storms can produce dangerous flooding, landslides, debris flows, erosion, and other dangerous impacts.

How Californians can prepare

El Niño does not guarantee a wet winter or any particular storm, but it heightens the risk of strong storms in California. Californians should prepare now for the possibility of heavy rain, snow, and flooding:

Sign up for alerts. Get local emergency alerts here and follow trusted sources.
Know your flood risk. Find out whether your home or workplace is in a flood-prone area or downslope of an area recently affected by wildfire, where heavy rain can increase the risk of flooding, debris flows, and mudslides.
Stay informed. Pay attention to weather forecasts and sign up for emergency alerts from your city or county. Conditions can change quickly during major storms, so follow instructions from local emergency officials.
Have an evacuation plan. Know where you would go and how you would get there if you need to leave quickly. Keep an emergency kit ready, including plans, medications, and supplies for pets and other animals.
Never drive through floodwater. Water on flooded roads can be deeper and faster-moving than it appears, and roadways may be damaged or washed out beneath the water. Turn around and find another route.

For flood-risk tips by region, a household checklist, and what to do after a storm, see Cal OES’s Ready California El Niño preparedness guide.

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