- Workers clear the San Juan and Trabuco Creek flood control channels in San Juan Capistrano on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, in preparation for El Niño. The work is also part of a pilot program to measure how quickly vegetation grows back to establish maintenance schedules. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Workers clear the San Juan and Trabuco Creek flood control channels in San Juan Capistrano on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, in preparation for El Niño. The work is also part of a pilot program to measure how quickly vegetation grows back to establish maintenance schedules. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Southern California is seeing a heat wave that will have the thermometer hovering near 100 degrees in parts of Orange County the next few days. Yet crews across the region are bracing for a downpour.
An El Niño forecast that officials say could be historic has agencies across OC preparing for the worst-case scenarios, attempting to ready residents with community meetings and getting staff trained so they are prepared to quickly respond to potential storm damage.
We get it, people are sweltering, Anaheim city
“We get it, people are sweltering,” Anaheim city spokesperson Mike Lyster said. “But we still have to prepare.”
“And we have to prepare for the maximum scenario, which would be a heavy El Niño with heavy, heavy rain,” he said.
Heavy rain, strong winds, crashing waves, and coastal flooding are among the warnings of what could be in store this winter, experts say.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research Oceanographer Andrew
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research Oceanographer Andrew Leising said November through February is when the max impacts are likely to be seen from the forecasted El Niño — though he notes each El Niño has its own personality.
The potentially “super” El Niño is expected to really pick up during the December–February period, when communities may experience more frequent and intense storms.
County officials already held an emergency response training session in September with OC Public Works crews to make sure they are dialed in before heavy rains put the system to the test, said Jamie Cargo, department spokesperson.
We went over rain safety protocols, storm patrol,
“We went over rain safety protocols, storm patrol, how to place a sandbag properly, what to do overnight, making sure they know how to use their radios,” she said. “It’s important because they’re going to be the ones out there responding.”
A project to manually remove bulky, thick invasive plants from San Juan and Trabuco creeks was underway this week as part of the county’s preparations to clear waterways so rainfall draining out of inland communities can flow to the ocean without backing up.
About three dozen public works employees worked with mostly hand tools and shears as part of a pilot program the county started as an alternative to using herbicides. Cargo said.
The county will be assessing how quickly invasive
The county will be assessing how quickly invasive and non-native species regrow after manual and mechanical cutting.
Keeping the creek channels free of thick vegetation and debris is part of the county’s routine maintenance, but this year it takes higher priority because of the anticipated rains from El Niño, Cargo said.
Crews will also keep a closer eye on problem areas in canyon communities such as Trabuco, Silverado, Modjeska and Williams, she said. “Those are the ones we focus on most, and we do preventive maintenance throughout the year.”
County staff inspect areas more vulnerable to flooding
County staff inspect areas more vulnerable to flooding and mudslides twice a year, then address needed maintenance, mostly in flood control channels, she added.
In Trabuco Canyon, she said crews will focus on the burn scar from the Airport Fire, and crews will certainly be monitoring that area during storms.
“It’s two-fold, you have the water, and you have the debris flows,” Cargo said. “We’re monitoring the debris flows and making sure the waterways are effective and get the water moved out through the area in a way that doesn’t cause any flooding.”
To get the canyon communities involved in preparations
To get the canyon communities involved in preparations for the potentially strong El Niño, Cargo said an event is planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Library of the Canyons.
It will include the National Weather Service with the forecast of El Niño conditions and county officials will brief residents on what is being done to prepare and the services that will be offered during and after the storms. It will also include information on sandbags that will be distributed — the first giveaway will Oct. 24 in the Modjeska Canyon lot.
Anaheim public works employees have a laundry list of tasks they complete for each rainy season and are working through now ahead of the expected busy winter, including clearing drains leading to underground sewage systems and to stormwater runoff systems and setting up “pump stations” where water will naturally accumulate, Lyster said. Slopes prone to mud runoff will be reinforced with mesh.
The utilities team, they do this all
“The utilities team, they do this all the time, too, but they are prepping too,” Lyster said of the city-run utilities department. “They will do preventive checks of as many things as they can to minimize any impact from winter storms, but they are also doing many of the same things our public works team is doing.”
The city, with a tentative starting date of Nov. 2, will open three sandbag filling stations: at the Anaheim Central Library, the Downtown Community Center and the West Anaheim Youth Center. The city’s fire stations will provide sandbags as well.
“Take the youth center, for example, you would go in, show that you’re an Anaheim resident, either your driver’s license or a utility bill, or some other verifiable proof, and we will give you a bundle of 10 sandbags. And then you can go out to a very easily self-served sandbag station,” Lyster said.
Most cities offer residents sandbags ahead of storms;
Most cities offer residents sandbags ahead of storms; check the website where you live for information.
Anaheim city officials are encouraging residents to search their homes for places where water builds up and to clean their property’s drainage systems ahead of the rainy season.
Some homeowners are already taking action to fix projects that they’ve put off for years – leaky roofs, clogged yard drains and stocking up on sandbags to ensure their homes can withstand the incoming storms that could ravage the region during the “Super El Nino.”
All my clients are terrified, said Aaron Woodward,
“All my clients are terrified,” said Aaron Woodward, who runs the family operated AW & Sons Plumbing in south Orange County.
His phone has been ringing nonstop with people who are addressing issues they’ve put off in anticipation of wild weather this winter, he said. “A lot of the customers are calling worried about El Niño.”
Some are people who remember drainage systems not working during the last stormy season, now scrambling to get them fixed. Others have patio doors that are at concrete level so water can spill into their home during heavy rain, he said.
We usually get a couple calls a year,
“We usually get a couple calls a year,” he said. “Now, we’re getting a couple a day. … Everybody is trying to get this type of work done; you’re seeing a huge uptick in people nervous about their homes flooding.”
But there are also concerns for those without stable housing.
A “key part” of the county’s year-round homeless outreach effort, said Doug Becht, the director of the county’s Office of Care Coordination, is partnering with OC Public Works and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to ensure that people are not living in dangerous locations, specifically the riverbeds and flood control channels where flash flooding can quickly become life-threatening.
“Our outreach and engagement team goes out every week of the year with the two departments on flood control channels to ensure people are not on there and are connected to services,” he said. “That becomes a heightened priority as storms approach.”
There aren’t currently plans for the big emergency
There aren’t currently plans for the big emergency cold weather shelters the county would open in the past, Becht said, because no city has expressed an interest in hosting one, but overall more shelter space is now available to people in need of a place off the streets.
Residents in need of shelter cancall 2-1-1 to be connected to available re
On Sept. 21,Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency that officials say will help the state mobilize vast re Niño storms
With the declaration, agencies can prepare “earlier, faster and with more focus to protect lives and support communities,” Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the California Office of Emergency Services, said during a media briefing.
Newsom’s proclamation directs state agencies to lead flood
Newsom’s proclamation directs state agencies to lead flood risk-reduction efforts in local communities; prepare and stage flood supplies and other equipment near at-risk areas for quick deployment; calls on the California National Guard, the California Volunteers, CalFire and other emergency and first-responder agencies to be on standby in the event of an emergency or an evacuation; and allows regulatory agencies such as the California Coastal Commission, the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Natural Resources Agency to fast-track permitting for local governments and communities to prepare for anticipated impacts from any winter storms.
Additionally, Thomas Jacobs said the California National Guard “is ready with high-water vehicles, helicopters, search and rescue, engineering support and logistics” crews on standby to respond to any emergencies. CalFire is also standing by with its assets available to aid in any emergency evacuations, she said.
Thomas Gibson, director of the California Department of Water Rebags and other flood-fight materials at 68 locations across the state. More than 200 flood material containers will be at the ready to deploy to hotspots and impacted areas as needed, he said
DWR has also amassed a stockpile of more
DWR has also amassed a stockpile of more than 400,000 tons of rock for emergency levee repairs and has relocated flood materials to coastal counties, Gibson said.
Geographically, DWR is prioritizing coastal areas, especially in Southern California, as it prepares for severe impacts as a result of storms this winter, said Laura Hollender, the agency’s deputy director for flood management and dam safety.
Coastal towns have already been put to the test this summer, with stretches of sand swept away during a strong hurricane swell season. In one beachfront neighborhood, several homes have been red-tagged.
Beach towns, along with the county, have also
Beach towns, along with the county, have also declared emergencies ahead of El Niño to dispatch quick help if needed, and to get reimbursement for emergency work that needs to be done.
In nearly all the beach towns, public works departments have worked all summer building up big sand berms to try and hold back the sea, safeguards typically done closer to the start of the winter season.
“We’ve done our winter preparation for the staff, lifeguards have been trained to run the pumps, along with other employees,”Seal Beach Lifeguard Chief Joe Bailey said of the systems in place for draining flooding water. “All the pumps are ready. We are looking at everything we can do to mitigate the upcoming winter season.”
Several emergency permits have already been issued
Several emergency permits have already been issued by the Coastal Commission to protect homes and public infrastructure, said spokesperson Joshua Smith. For example, it recently approved two dozen emergency permits for Beach Road in Dana Point primarily for the construction of a new rock revetment across many homes and offered to extend the expiration dates for those permits through the winter storm season, Smith said.
At its Oct. 7 meeting, the Coastal Commission is considering nearly three dozen emergency permits requested by the state parks department, local governments, businesses and residents up and down the OC coastline.
Several beaches have been closed off to the public due to severe erosion, especially in popular Laguna Beach. The south end of Aliso Beach has been closed down for weeks; a stretch near vulnerable homes at Victoria Beach is covered in caution tape; and a rock slide at Agate Beach this week prompted the closure of the stairs down to the shore.
Laguna Beach Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond said
Laguna Beach Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond said that there are several areas the city is watching closely along the city’s coastline.
“The first priority is going to be the safety of the visitors and our residents,” Bond said. “We’re looking forward to a more stable environment, but I don’t think we’re going to see that until the end of this El Niño.”
Laguna Beach officials are hosting a “Super El Niño Community Preparedness Workshop” at 6 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the Community & Recreation Center, and there has already been evacuation training for lifeguards and other emergency responders to get people away from the coast if necessary.
We’re continually training like that, as a city
“We’re continually training like that, as a city and a department, to make sure we are prepared for whatever comes our way,” Bond said. “I think the overall message needs to be: Be aware of what the weather is going to be, make decisions early, instead of way too late.”
Water managers and agencies in the region have also been preparing for the winter season, meeting together regularly and coming up with action plans in case of emergencies.
Marc Serna, deputy general manager for South Coast Water District, said there has already been coordination and collaboration with staff, as well as other local water and wastewater agencies to make sure they are prepared.
During Hurricane Marie in early September, the SCWD
During Hurricane Marie in early September, the SCWD had to move swiftly when a sewer line was exposed following damage from a big swell that battered the region. A crumbling seawall was stabilized and the line has been shored up with concrete block protections to prevent a sewer main from breaking into the ocean.
“It gave us a real-life exercise of things that can potentially come, and a good wake-up call to start looking at all of our facilities again, to make sure we can get to them as fast as we can,” said Rick Shintaku, general manager for the water district.
SCWD is also acquiring materials such as sandbags and heavy plastic sheeting needed in case of flooding, especially in low-lying areas of the district. They are also placing sandbags and increasing checks at facilities near sea level, and plugging low-lying sewer manholes to keep stormwater out of the sewer system.
We’re taking this seriously, said Shintaku
“We’re taking this seriously,” said Shintaku. “Because we’re a coastal agency, this is business as usual — with an enhanced concern.”
Water agencies are also preparing to take advantage of the rainy season.
“The El Niño presents a huge opportunity for us,” Orange Coast Water District board President Denis Bilodeau said. “We love when it rains, and we prepare well in advance to make sure we can capture as much of the rainwater as possible, to recharge our water basin.”
A rain cycle three years ago that allowed for a large harvest of water has meant the district avoided having to buy imported water, Bilodeau said.
In one cycle alone, the district is able
In one cycle alone, the district is able to capture 26,000 acre-feet of water – the equivalent of $26 million they would have needed to spend on imported water from the Colorado River.
The main opportunity comes from capturing water behind the Prado Dam, which is operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
One challenge: sand builds up in the dam.
Permitting delays and a bird nesting season have meant the district will have to wait until next year to clear out sand. While the sand stockpile doesn’t pose an overflow danger, Bilodeau said, it means less rainwater can be stored.
Smaller local basins, however, have sand that OCWD
Smaller local basins, however, have sand that OCWD has made available to cities – particularly for coastal and canyon communities that could see the brunt of storm impacts and may need to fill sandbags for residents, Bilodeau said.
OCWD is also working on an agreement with Newport Beach ahead of the El Niño season to share equipment and staffing in the case of emergencies. Bulldozers and skiploaders based in Anaheim can be deployed quickly to help if needed, Bilodeau said.
“We’re always happy to help, all these government entities need to work cooperatively together to help the public,” he said. “If we don’t communicate, the equipment is sitting idle. We are all the government, and the government has to protect the people.”
Newport Beach Councilmember Erik Weigand, who also sits
Newport Beach Councilmember Erik Weigand, who also sits on the OCWD board, talked about the uncertainty around El Niño. It’s unknown if it will actually turn out to be a rainy one, like the 1997-98 season, or a dry one like a decade ago in 2015-16.
“I think we’re in this uncharted territory. We know El Niño will exist, but how much rain will it bring us?” Weigand asked. “A lot of this is still unpredictable.”
Though the upcoming rain levels are unknown, more certain are strong northwest swells during winter that can bring further erosion and damage to local beaches.
In past El Niños, piers have been knocked down and destroyed, homes threatened.
We have a pretty big storm season we
“We have a pretty big storm season we have to prepare for,” Weigand said. “Our guys are already out there shoring up the shore.”
“Understanding we have potential for strong storm surge, just being prepared now is good practice, and will help us through the whole season,” he said. “This could last through spring, if not longer.”
