Long Beach declares local emergency over possibly strong El Niño season – NBC Los Angeles

Long Beach declares local emergency over possibly strong El Niño season  NBC Los Angeles

Long Beach Mayor Tom Modica proclaimed a local emergency Monday ahead of what may be a strong El Niño season. As the state braces for a potentially strong El Niño season, Long Beach declared a local emergency for further preparation. Shaira Arias reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. The emergency proclamation gives Long Beach greater flexibility to prepare and respond if conditions worsen. It follows Gov. Gavin Newsom’s state of emergency declaration over the same matter. With it, state agencies are beginning to prepare for a possibly strong storm season. The weather pattern comes from a warming of ocean waters off the Pacific coast in South America.

It tends to peak during the winter months, which is what concerns local and state leaders about the later half of the year. Meteorologists studying this year’s El Niño pattern said it’s shaping up to have the potential for a particularly strong storm season in Southern California this winter. Modica’s proclamation allows the city to take steps ahead of the anticipated storm season to prepare for it. Although preparations are already underway, the remnants of Hurricane Marie and its recent impact on the coastal city heightened concerns about what could come next. For more information on Long Beach’s emergency proclamation, click here.