California authorities fear the potentially devastating consequences of El Niño’s return. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Monday, September 21, ahead of the climate phenomenon’s arrival on the US west coast. The region could be hit by violent storms and high tides likely to cause flooding, according to forecasts.
Newsom said the measure aims to provide communities with needed support, give authorities the means to accomplish their mission, and reassure families that the state is ready. The decision allows for anticipating the deployment of flood control resources, such as sandbags and pumps. The California National Guard can also prepare for search, rescue, engineering, and logistics operations.
El Niño is a natural climate variation that returns every two to seven years, bringing droughts, floods, and record temperatures worldwide. It continued to strengthen in August and now has a 75 percent chance of becoming the most powerful ever recorded, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In the past, El Niño has caused or intensified droughts and fire risks in parts of the Amazon, Central America, Indonesia, and Australia, as well as monsoon disruptions in India and heavy rains in East Africa. The phenomenon adds to the consequences of human-caused climate change, boosting extreme weather events. In the year following El Niño, heat stored in the ocean is released into the atmosphere, generally contributing to rising global temperatures. Many climatologists predict 2027 will be the hottest year ever recorded.
Reference
Le Monde, “El Niño: la Californie déclare l’état d’urgence face au risque de tempêtes et d’inondations majeures,” published September 22, 2026. https://www.lemonde.fr/climat/article/2026/09/22/el-nino-la-californie-declare-l-etat-d-urgence-face-au-risque-de-tempetes-et-d-inondations-majeures_6779445_1652612.html