California declares state of emergency ahead of El Nino
LOS ANGELES: California’s governor on Monday declared a state of emergency as the US west coast readies for what is expected to be a damaging El Nino.
California's Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency as the west coast prepares for an anticipated El Nino weather pattern. This natural phenomenon, which occurs every two to seven years, involves warming Pacific waters that can lead to more powerful storms and higher-than-average tides, potentially causing coastal flooding.
Newsom emphasized the importance of preemptive action to support communities, provide resources for first responders, and ensure public safety. The proclamation aims to streamline access to state resources and pre-position flood-fighting supplies, including sandbags and pumps, to bolster flood response capabilities. El Nino, a result of reduced east-to-west trade winds, causes warmer-than-average surface temperatures that trigger more storms and clouds, leading to varied weather patterns globally.
Human-induced climate change may exacerbate El Nino's effects by increasing moisture in the atmosphere, intensifying rain, and deepening droughts. This year's El Nino has a 75% chance of being the strongest on record, potentially peaking between October and December. The phenomenon has already matched the intensity of the 2015-2016 El Nino, with the tropical Pacific's sea surface temperature anomaly reaching 3.07°C, matching the 2015-2016 El Nino.
California's coastline has already faced storm damage, leading to home destruction and the cancellation of a music festival in Santa Monica.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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