Waves wash up near damaged beachfront homes on 14 September 2026, in Dana Point, California. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenWaves wash up near damaged beachfront homes on 14 September 2026, in Dana Point, California. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty ImagesCalifornia braces for record El Niño storms as governor declares emergencySuper El-Niño has already broken temperature records and is predicted to bring an extremely wet winter to the state
‘Jaw-dropping’ El Niño bursts through temperature record months before peak
California is bracing for a record breaking El Niño that is expected to bring severe winter storms and flooding across the state, with the state’s governor declaring a state of emergency in anticipation of extreme weather in the months ahead.
The global climate phenomenon known as a “super El Niño” is already breaking temperature records and drawing predictions of an extremely wet winter in places such as California, where El Niño typically brings more severe winter storms and flooding risks. Several coastal California cities have recently faced high surf, flooding and coastal erosion linked to Hurricane Marie as well as El Niño. Experts have said the effects offered a glimpse at what the coming winter could look like.
Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Monday to bring supplies to California communities ahead of extreme weather, and ready the national guard to assist with flood response and search and rescue efforts. It also directs state agencies to prepare roads and critical infrastructure.
The governor said in a statement that the proclamation was an effort to “[give] communities the support they need, [give] first responders the tools to do their jobs, and [give] families the confidence that their state is ready.”
“We are preparing for this El Niño early because every Californian deserves to be safe in their home, connected to their community] and protected when severe weather comes,” Newsom said in a statement.
The global climate phenomenon occurs when parts of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean naturally warm, which affects weather patterns across the world, leading to drought in some areas and fueling severe storms in others, and causes global temperatures to surge. It amplifies the effects of the climate crisis, and recent research found that global heating is supercharging the El Niño climatic patterns.
El Niño broke the highest temperature ever recorded for the phenomenon this week, months ahead of the anticipated peak, according to the latest data.
This year there is a more than 90% change of a very strong El Niño event and a 75% chance of an event of historic strength, according to a statement from the governor’s office. That could bring severe rain, flooding, landslides and coastal flooding that cuts off neighborhoods, damages communities and causes widespread power outages.
“California is already taking steps now to protect communities from a potentially historic El Niño because we know how serious these weather extremes driven by climate change can be,” said Wade Crowfoot, California’s natural resources secretary, in a statement.
The governor also approved emergency declarations for several counties across the state that recently experienced significantly damaging severe weather events.
