California El Niño State of Emergency 2026: How to Prepare Your Property
Quick Answer
On September 21, 2026, Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency ahead of what forecasters expect to be a historic El Niño season, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event and a 75% chance it becomes the strongest on record. The declaration mobilizes state resources like flood-fighting supplies, road-clearing equipment, and National Guard support before storms intensify. For homeowners and businesses, the takeaway is the same: check your flood risk, clear drains and gutters, document your property, and have a restoration provider identified before a storm causes damage, not after.
If a storm does cause water intrusion, flooding, or wind damage, response speed determines how much of the loss is preventable. Facilities and homeowners with a restoration plan in place typically start mitigation within hours. Those without one often lose days.
What the State of Emergency Actually Covers
The proclamation directs several state agencies to act ahead of the storm season rather than after it arrives. Key actions include:
- State agencies leading flood-risk-reduction efforts and staging supplies such as sandbags and pumps
- Caltrans pre-positioning traffic-control, road-closure, and snow-removal equipment along high-risk highways
- The California National Guard preparing to support flood response, search-and-rescue, and logistics missions
- Environmental and natural resources agencies fast-tracking permitting to help local governments prepare for flooding, landslides, and debris flows
- Expanded multilingual public alerts covering severe weather, flooding, evacuation readiness, and power outages
This is a coordinated, statewide effort, which signals that officials view the risk as significant rather than routine.
Why This El Niño Season Is Different
El Niño is a natural warming pattern in the eastern Pacific Ocean that shifts storm tracks and can intensify winter weather in California. It doesn’t guarantee a wet winter, but it raises the odds of stronger, more frequent storms.
What sets this season apart is scale. A study published in the journal Science found El Niño events are now more than 36% stronger than before the industrial era, with the trend accelerating over the last 40 years. Combined with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event this fall and winter, California is preparing for the possibility of repeated rounds of heavy rain, high winds, mountain snow, flooding, landslides, debris flows, and coastal flooding, particularly when storms coincide with high tides.
What This Could Mean for Your Property
A strong El Niño season increases the risk of several types of property damage, including:
- Roof leaks and wind damage from intensified storm systems
- Interior water damage from flooding, storm surge, or backed-up drainage
- Landslide and debris flow damage near recent wildfire burn scars, where vegetation loss reduces the ground’s ability to absorb rain
- Business interruption from power outages, road closures, or facility damage
- Mold growth that develops within days of water intrusion if drying is delayed
Properties outside mapped flood zones are not automatically exempt. Fast-intensifying storm systems can produce localized flooding and wind damage well beyond traditional risk areas, which is a large part of why officials are urging preparation now.
How to Prepare Before the Storms Arrive
Based on the state’s guidance and our own experience responding to major storm events, here are the steps we recommend for both homeowners and business owners.
1. Know Your Flood Risk
Check whether your property sits in a flood-prone area or downslope from land affected by recent wildfire. Burned vegetation significantly reduces the ground’s ability to absorb heavy rainfall, increasing debris flow risk even miles from the original fire.
2. Clear Gutters, Drains, and Downspouts
Blocked drainage is one of the most common, and most preventable, causes of water intrusion during heavy rain. This takes minutes and can prevent thousands of dollars in damage.
3. Inspect Your Roof and Seals
Address minor roof damage, cracked flashing, or worn seals before the wet season. Small vulnerabilities become major leaks under sustained storm pressure.
4. Document Your Property
Photograph your building, equipment, and inventory now. Pre-loss documentation significantly speeds up the insurance claims and restoration process if damage occurs.
5. Build an Emergency and Continuity Plan
Know your evacuation routes and keep emergency supplies on hand. Businesses should have a plan for temporary relocation or continued operations if the primary facility is affected. BMS CAT’s Priority Disaster Response Program is designed specifically for this kind of continuity planning, giving enrolled facilities pre-arranged response priority before a storm event occurs.
6. Sign Up for Local Emergency Alerts
Storm conditions can change quickly. Early warning gives you more time to protect people and property before conditions worsen.
7. Identify a Restoration Partner Before You Need One
Response time is one of the biggest factors in total damage cost. Properties with a restoration provider already on file can begin mitigation within hours of a loss, rather than searching for help after the damage has already spread.
How BMS CAT Helps California Property Owners Recover
If storm or flood damage does affect your property this season, rapid response limits both the extent of the damage and the cost of recovery. BMS CAT provides 24/7 emergency response for:
- Water extraction and structural drying
- Storm and wind damage repair
- Flood damage restoration
- Mold remediation
- Content cleaning and restoration
- Full reconstruction and rebuild services
- Large loss and commercial disaster recovery
As a company-owned national restoration provider with local teams across California, BMS CAT is positioned to respond quickly even when a single storm event affects multiple properties across a region at once, a common scenario during major California storm systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the state of emergency mean a wet winter is guaranteed?
- No. El Niño increases the likelihood of stronger, more frequent storms, but it does not guarantee a particular storm or a wet winter overall. The state is preparing based on elevated risk, not a certainty.
How do I know if my property is at flood risk?
- Check your property’s flood zone status and whether it sits downslope from an area affected by recent wildfire. Both factors significantly increase flood and debris flow risk during heavy rain.
What should I do first if my property floods?
- Ensure everyone is safe, avoid contact with standing water if there’s any risk of electrical hazard, and contact a restoration provider immediately. Water damage that sits for more than 24 to 48 hours significantly increases the risk of mold growth and structural harm.
Does homeowners or commercial insurance typically cover storm damage?
- Coverage varies by policy and often depends on the specific cause of damage, such as wind versus flood. Reviewing your policy now, before storm season peaks, helps you understand your coverage and avoid surprises during a claim.
How quickly can BMS CAT respond to a storm-related loss?
- BMS CAT provides 24/7 emergency response and works to begin mitigation as quickly as possible after a loss is reported, which is critical for limiting secondary damage like mold growth.
Prepare Now, Not After the First Storm
State officials have made clear this El Niño season should be taken seriously, and the time to prepare is before conditions intensify. Whether you manage a commercial facility or own a home, taking these steps now can reduce the extent of damage and shorten your recovery timeline if a storm event affects your property.
Contact BMS CAT to have a restoration partner in place before this season’s storms arrive, available 24/7 at 877.730.1948.