A recent headline in the East Bay Times read, “Newsom Declares State of Emergency.” Might it be referring to the rise of AI? Wildfires? The cost of living? No—it’s about El Niño, a weather pattern expected to bring record rainfall to the Bay Area this fall. This pattern forms in the warming waters of the Pacific and travels with the jet stream to the California coast.
Federal forecasters predict a 90% chance of a very strong El Niño this fall. With the rain comes storm damage and flooding. There will also be more “King Tides.” El Niño events would occur even without global warming, but the Earth’s warming makes them more frequent and deadly.
If you run a business or live in a coastal or flood-prone area, how can you prepare for this weather emergency? Here are a few actions you can take:
- Clear gutters and downspouts to divert rainwater away from your home or business.
- Check the slope of your yard to make sure the land directs water away from your home or business, not toward it.
- Clear storm drains in your area to prevent water from spilling onto your property.
- Check your roof. Replace broken shingles and patch any holes.
- Keep rodents out by sealing holes around openings in the building.
- Sign up for the Contra Costa County Community Warning System to receive alerts about upcoming weather events and natural disasters.
- Trim or remove trees that are close to buildings and at high risk of falling during a storm, which could damage property or injure people. Create and maintain an emergency kit. Keep it in a high, dry area that is easy to reach if your home floods. Include blankets, potable water, enough food to last four or five days, and other emergency supplies.
San Francisco runs an “adopt a drain” program. Neighbors choose a nearby storm drain to keep clear of debris during a storm. Some even name their adoptees, for example, “No Pain, No Drain” and “Singing In the Drain.” Surely Contra Costa County neighbors are clever enough to adopt—and name—a local storm drain. (“There Will Be Floods”?)
Learn More
For more information about El Niño and what you can do to prepare, consult these resources:
- KQED: El Niño Could Bring a Wet, Wild Winter—How Can You and Your Home Be Ready?
- Contra Costa County Storm Preparedness
- Contra Costa County Flood Forecast Information
- Contra Costa County Flood Control District: Rain Gauge Readings and Forecasts
- Your county supervisor’s website, which may offer district-specific resources.
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