California Readies for Possible Record El Niño With Early Emergency Order

Ask A Prepper reports that California proclaimed a statewide state of emergency on September 21, ahead of what forecasters say could be the strongest El Niño on record. The outlet urges homeowners to prepare while it is still dry.

Key points

• The order: Governor Gavin Newsom's proclamation has agencies staging sandbags and pumps, Caltrans positioning road-closure and snow-removal gear, and the California National Guard preparing for flood, rescue and logistics work.
• The forecast: A National Weather Service preparedness guide updated in mid-October gives 100% odds of a very strong El Niño and an 83% chance it tops every event on record back to 1950.
• Hazards: Heavy rain and flash floods, high-tide coastal flooding and erosion, and mudslides on waterlogged slopes, especially recent burn scars.
• Insurance gap: Standard homeowners and renters policies exclude flood damage, and FEMA says new coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program generally takes 30 days to begin.
• Floodwater danger: The article says over half of flood drownings involve driving into floodwater, and that moving water 6 inches deep can knock an adult over.

Quick take

Ask A Prepper's advice is to get a flood quote now, photograph your home and valuables, clear gutters and storm drains, test the sump pump, and sign up for county alerts. The outlet says a senior advisor to the governor likened El Niño to a hurricane that has yet to reach land.

Read the full story at Ask A Prepper.