California doesn’t usually declare an emergency before the first storm shows up. This year, it did.
On September 21, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a statewide state of emergency ahead of what forecasters expect could be the strongest El Niño on record. The move isn’t a sign that disaster has already struck. It’s a bet that preparing early beats cleaning up later, and homeowners would be wise to make the same bet.
What the Emergency Declaration Does
The governor’s proclamation mobilizes state resources and cuts red tape before the storms arrive. State agencies were directed to stage flood-fighting supplies such as sandbags and pumps, and Caltrans is positioning road-closure and snow-removal equipment along the highways most at risk.
The California National Guard is being readied for flood response, search and rescue, and logistics missions. The state also ordered expanded public warnings covering flooding, evacuations, emergency alerts, and power outages.
A senior advisor to the governor summed up the state’s approach at the announcement: officials are treating El Niño like a hurricane that hasn’t made landfall yet.
Why Forecasters Are So Worried
El Niño is a warming of the eastern tropical Pacific that can shift storm tracks and push more moisture toward California. This year’s event is far from ordinary.
The National Weather Service’s El Niño preparedness guide for California, updated in mid-October, puts the odds of a very strong El Niño this fall and winter at 100%. It gives an 83% chance the event will be historic, exceeding every El Niño on record back to 1950.
The main hazards are heavy rain and flash flooding, coastal flooding and erosion during high tides, and mudslides and debris flows on saturated hillsides, especially in recent burn scars. Forecasters stress that El Niño doesn’t guarantee any particular storm, but the odds are tilted hard toward a rough winter.
Are Homeowners Ready?
Many aren’t, and the biggest gap is insurance. Standard homeowners and renters policies don’t cover flood damage, and according to FEMA, a new National Flood Insurance Program policy generally doesn’t take effect until 30 days after you buy it.
That 30-day clock is the reason to act now, not when a storm appears in the forecast. If you live in a low-lying area, near a creek, or downhill from a recent wildfire, call your agent this week and ask for a flood quote.
While you’re at it, walk through your home and take photos and video of every room and your valuables. A good inventory makes any claim faster and harder to dispute.
How to Protect Your Home Before the Rain
Clear the Path for Water
The cheapest flood protection is making sure water has somewhere to go. Clean your gutters and downspouts, extend downspouts away from the foundation, and clear leaves and debris from the storm drain in front of your house.
Keep Water Out
Sandbags remain the standard defense, and many California cities and counties hand them out free during storm season. Reusable water-activated flood barrier bags are easier to store and deploy if you can’t get to a sandbag station.
If you have a basement or crawl space with a sump pump, test it now. A battery backup sump pump keeps it running when a storm also knocks out the power, which is exactly when you need it most.
Protect What Can’t Be Replaced
Move important papers, photos, and keepsakes off the floor and out of the basement or garage. Keep deeds, insurance policies, and IDs in a waterproof document bag you can grab in seconds.
Get Your Kit and Plan Ready
Atmospheric rivers can close roads and cut power for days. Build a kit around FEMA’s basic disaster supplies kit, with water, food, medications, flashlights, and first aid supplies for everyone in the household, including pets.
Add a hand-crank emergency radio that picks up NOAA Weather Radio, so you can hear warnings even when cell service drops. If you’re starting from scratch, our breakdown of what a former FBI official says every household needs is a good checklist.
Sign up for your county’s emergency alerts, since local officials issue evacuation orders. Know at least two ways out of your neighborhood in case one floods, and if you’re told to leave, leave.
Never Drive Through Floodwater
More than half of flood drownings happen when someone drives into floodwater. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock an adult off their feet, and about a foot can float many cars.
Water over a road is often deeper and faster than it looks, and the pavement underneath may already be gone. Turn around and find another route.
The Bottom Line
California’s leaders aren’t waiting for the first storm, and neither should you. Check your flood risk, call about insurance, clear your drains, and get your kit ready while the skies are still dry.
If the winter turns out milder than forecast, you’ve lost nothing. If it’s as bad as the models suggest, you’ll be glad you started in October.
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The post California Declared an Emergency Over El Niño. Are Homeowners Prepared for the Next Major Storm? appeared first on Ask a Prepper.
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