The rainy season hasn't really started yet, but Sonoma County is already operating as if a disaster is on the way. On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously proclaimed a local emergency tied to the developing El Niño, which forecasters expect to bring an unusually wet winter to Northern California.

Why declare an emergency now

The county's proclamation follows a statewide state of emergency that Gov. Gavin Newsom issued on Sept. 21. The county cites forecasts putting the odds that this El Niño reaches historic strength at 75%. NBC Bay Area reported a similar National Weather Service estimate: a 70% chance it becomes the strongest El Niño in more than 70 years. El Niño itself isn't a storm; it's a warming of the tropical Pacific that tends to shift weather patterns, and in California it is often linked to heavier rain, flooding and coastal erosion.

Officials said declaring early lets the county ramp up staffing and training, move faster on permits and coordinate its response before the rain arrives. "The best time to prepare for a flood is before a storm," board chair Rebecca Hermosillo said in the county's announcement.

The Press Democrat noted one limit: the local proclamation doesn't, by itself, speed up state or federal money for storm recovery. Cloverdale was the first city in Sonoma County to pass its own emergency declaration, last month.

What crews are doing

  • Clearing culverts and flood-control channels, and checking roads and spots with a history of flooding or slides.
  • Staging sandbags, barricades and other equipment ahead of time.
  • Getting rainfall, stream and reservoir monitoring systems ready, and preparing for bigger emergency operations staffing.
  • Building a countywide priority list of vulnerable infrastructure, with input from county departments, Sonoma Water and sanitation districts.

The county also plans community outreach, including a focus on residents of mobile homes near the lower Russian River, according to NBC Bay Area. Local leaders expect the heaviest rain from December through March.

The statewide picture

Newsom's proclamation directs state agencies to stage flood-fighting supplies such as sandbags and pumps, has Caltrans position road-closure and snow-removal equipment along at-risk highways, and readies the California National Guard for flood response and rescue missions. It also tells state environmental agencies to fast-track permits for flood, landslide and debris-flow work. NBC Bay Area reported the governor asked those agencies for recommendations by Oct. 16.

If you live in a flood-prone area

For Bay Area homeowners, the practical takeaway is the same one officials keep repeating: clear your gutters and drains, check your property's drainage, and sign up for your county's emergency alerts before the first big storm, not during it.