SJ getting 'storm ready' ahead of potentially record-breaking El Niño winter
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- San Jose officials are preparing for what could be a significant winter storm season associated with El Niño, using the city's Emergency Operations Center to coordinate planning, training and flood mitigation efforts.
Officials say the state of California's emergency declaration ahead of an anticipated El Niño event allows local governments to continue preparing for potentially impactful storms.
The city's Emergency Operations Center, which opened its new location in 2024, is expected to play a key role in coordinating emergency response efforts.
The 11,000-square-foot facility houses operations, logistics, recovery and planning functions for emergencies. With a high likelihood of a record-breaking winter due to El Niño, Director of Emergency Management Ray Riordan said the facility will improve coordination across the city and county compared with previous winter storm seasons.
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"So we're in one place, one location gathering the information, so it improves our, understanding of the conditions that we're facing helps us plan and operate and deploy resources necessary to the right places," Riordan said.
City officials said storm readiness begins well before severe weather arrives. San Jose and partner agencies, including Valley Water, have conducted exercises and training sessions designed to prepare for potential storm scenarios.
"We don't know exactly how much rain will fall, but what we do know is that the best time to prepare is not when the first drops start falling. It's every day leading up to it, including beautifully sunny days, like Wednesday," Mayor Matt Mahan said.
Preparation efforts are also underway in the field. Crews are working along rivers, streams and storm drains in an effort to reduce flooding risks before storms arrive.
The city's Department of Transportation is focusing on clearing debris from high-risk areas to help ensure water can move through drainage systems during periods of heavy rain.
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"When those atmospheric rivers come in, there's 2 or 3 inches over a few days. That prioritization is really important. But we've tried to really get at the planning and prevention piece around the storm drain system this year to just get ahead of that peak," Assistant City Manager Lee Wilcox said.
Officials acknowledged that flooding cannot be eliminated entirely but said reducing risk remains a priority.
"We can't prevent any and all flooding forevermore, but we want to make sure we're really transparent about everything we're doing to mitigate and reduce the risk in the areas that we think are highest risk. And we're going to come back and do communicate a little more around that in the coming weeks," Mahan said.
City leaders also emphasized the role residents play in preparing for severe weather. San Jose plans to host an El Niño preparedness workshop on Zoom on Oct. 21 to answer questions and provide information about getting ready for the upcoming storm season.
You can get more information by visiting the city's website here.
