Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency in California over El Niño — apparently, months before the emergency.
There is no statewide winter storm disaster happening right now. Newsom is looking into the crystal ball and declaring the emergency ahead of what forecasters say could be a historically strong El Niño this fall and winter.
Federal forecasters say there’s a greater than 90-percent chance El Niño becomes very strong and a 75-percent chance it reaches historic strength. But even a powerful El Niño does not guarantee record rainfall in California.
The declaration lets California start staging sandbags, pumps, highway and snow-removal equipment, prepare the National Guard and fast-track permits and contracts for flood protection before the storms arrive.
