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# Santa Monica declares local emergency ahead of forecast 'Super El Niño'
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-declares-local-emergency-ahead-of-forecast-super-el-nino/
- Published: 2026-11-02T10:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-02T10:00:03.000Z
- Author: Matthew Hall
- Tags: Environment, Santa Monica

The City Council has proclaimed a local emergency for the 2026-27 El Niño winter season, a preemptive step officials said will let the city buy equipment and supplies quickly if powerful storms hit as forecast.

The resolution passed 6-0, with Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick absent, last week.

Fire Chief Matthew Hallock said the proclamation is narrowly focused on procurement. If a storm causes significant damage, the city would return to the council with a new proclamation to seek public assistance.

“A citywide effort is underway,” he said. “We're going through preparedness efforts. We have a lot of discussions already with things we're doing at the beach, clearing with public works, with housing, making sure our vulnerable population is going to be taken care of. Community groups, we're doing outreach through all of our community groups. You know, we know what's coming, but at the same time, it's a forecast, and as they say, if it's predictable, it's preventable. So we're doing our best to make sure that we're prepared.”

City Manager Oliver Chi said preemptive emergency declarations are unusual, but this year's forecast has prompted the state and county to act early. Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a statewide emergency Sept. 21, and Los Angeles County followed Sept. 23.

According to the staff report, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Oct. 8 there is more than an 83% chance of a strong to very strong El Niño through January to March 2027\. Forecasters have said the event could rival or exceed the 1982-83 El Niño, whose storms destroyed the lower deck of the Santa Monica Pier. The report also noted that the city's inaugural Ocean Way Festival was canceled earlier this fall because of beach erosion caused by Hurricane Marie.

Chief Hallock announced "Sandbag Saturdays" on Nov. 7, 14 and 21 from 9 a.m. to noon at Clover Park, where a fire engine company will help residents fill sandbags. Residents can also pick up 10 empty sandbags at any fire station and fill them at the sand station in the Clover Park parking lot.

The staff report lists preparations already underway, including sand berms on the beach and at storm drain outfalls, inspections of city facility roofs and gutters, cleaning of more than 600 catch basins and a storm website in five languages. During storms, the city will temporarily relax criteria so first responders and outreach teams can refer anyone experiencing homelessness to shelter regardless of their history in the city.

Councilmember Dan Hall asked about the 85 beachfront properties the city's hazard mitigation plan places in a 100-year flood zone. Hallock said the city has been in contact with all 85 property owners. Hall also asked about the pier, given the damage in past El Niño years. Staff said a recent structural assessment found the section over the water to be strong.

Councilmember Lana Negrete asked about mudslides on Pacific Coast Highway and palm fronds that clog rooftop drains and can injure people when they fall. Hallock said Caltrans is focusing on the I-10 corridor and PCH and is monitoring the bluffs. Chi said proactive palm frond removal has begun, and a Public Works official said the city has restored its regular trimming schedule of every two years for palms and every three years for other trees, with two crews working to catch up before the rains.

Zernitskaya asked how the local proclamation interacts with state and county declarations and whether it could trigger the state's anti-price gouging law and limit hotels' holiday rates. Staff said it would not affect hotels' seasonal pricing and that the governor's proclamation carves out the price gouging law.

Mayor Caroline Torosis asked whether sandbags would be protected from price gouging. Staff said that was not entirely clear, since the county's proclamation did not include the same carve-out, but said the city bought a large cache of sandbags after lessons learned from Tropical Storm Hilary and should be well supplied.

Torosis also asked about the Pico-Kenter storm drain after residents raised concerns following the Ocean Way cancellation. The county-owned drain had not been cleared before the earlier storm, which was larger than expected, but the outfalls have since been cleared and the sides built up.

Residents can sign up for the city's multilingual SMAlerts system for weather warnings.