Overview
Los Angeles County school districts and local educational agencies (LEAs) are encouraged to prepare for potential winter storm impacts from El Niño, including heavy rainfall, localized flooding, mud and debris flows, power and utility outages, road closures, transportation disruptions and damage to school facilities.
What is El Niño?
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. These changes can influence weather patterns around the world and increase the likelihood of certain weather conditions.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), El Niño conditions are currently present and strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong El Niño during fall and winter 2026–27. While El Niño does not guarantee specific weather conditions in any one location, stronger events can increase the likelihood of typical El Niño-related weather patterns.
With the potential for significant winter weather impacts, including heavy rainfall, flooding, mud and debris flows, power outages and transportation disruptions, early preparation can help reduce risks and maintain essential operations.
Preparations
Before the next big storm, districts should:
District Offices are encouraged to:
- Identify primary and alternate emergency points of contact.
- Establish procedures for school sites to report emergencies, closures, operational impacts and resource needs.
- Establish after-hours and weekend notification procedures.
- Identify who has authority to order closures, delayed openings, early dismissals, evacuations, relocations and other protective actions.
- Confirm current contact information for the appropriate local emergency manager and LACOE.
- Establish a process for consolidating school-site information into a district-wide situation report.
School sites should know who to contact at the District Office and how to report urgent impacts and resource needs.
Appropriate district personnel should register for:
- Ready LA County emergency alerts and preparedness information.
- Applicable city or local jurisdiction emergency notification systems.
- Electric, gas, water, telecommunications, and other utility emergency and outage notifications.
Whenever possible, designate multiple personnel to receive critical notifications to provide redundancy during extended incidents.
Please verify access to the California Department of Education School Emergency Reporting System (SERS) before an emergency occurs.
SERS is used by LEAs to report disaster impacts to schools and request assistance from CDE. Each LEA has a unique SERS access code.
Confirm:
- Your LEA's SERS access code is available.
- Appropriate personnel can access the system.
- Staff know who is responsible for submitting reports during an emergency.
CDE School Disaster and Emergency Management / SERS Website
For assistance with an LEA access code, contact the CDE Emergency Services Team at EmergencyServices@cde.ca.gov.
Review schools, administrative offices, transportation yards, warehouses, food service facilities and other critical locations.
Pay particular attention to:
- Flood-prone and low-lying areas.
- Drainage channels and locations with previous flooding.
- Hillsides and recent wildfire burn-scar areas.
- Roofs, gutters, drains and drainage systems.
- Retaining walls and slopes.
- Electrical and utility vulnerabilities.
- Entrances, exits and evacuation routes that could become inaccessible.
Consider taking dated photographs or video of priority facilities and infrastructure before major storms to document baseline conditions.
Before significant rainfall:
- Inspect and clear storm drains, gutters, roof drains, culverts and other drainage systems within the LEA's responsibility.
- Identify locations where sandbags or other flood-control measures may be needed.
- Secure outdoor equipment and materials.
- Confirm emergency supplies are available.
- Test generators and backup power systems, where available.
- Confirm generator fuel and refueling procedures.
- Verify backup communications capabilities.
Consider how essential services will continue if a campus becomes inaccessible or experiences an extended power, telecommunications, water or other utility outage. Priority functions may include:
- Student supervision and safety.
- Transportation.
- Food services.
- Special education and student support services.
- Information technology and communications.
- Facilities and maintenance.
- Business and administrative operations.
Identify roads, bridges, crossings and transportation routes that may be vulnerable to flooding, debris, or closures.
Transportation teams should identify alternate routes when feasible and establish procedures for rapidly communicating route changes or service interruptions to school sites, families and district leadership.
Reporting and Emergency Information
Reporting During a Storm
School sites should promptly report significant impacts and resource needs to their District Office or designated LEA emergency coordination point.
The District Office should consolidate school-level information and coordinate with the appropriate local emergency manager and LACOE.
When appropriate, LEAs should also report disaster impacts and requests for assistance through CDE SERS.
Emergency Information Flow
School Site → District Office → Local Emergency Manager + LACOE
District/LEA → CDE SERS, as appropriate
Centralizing reporting through the District Office reduces duplicate reporting and provides emergency partners with a clearer district-wide operating picture.
During significant incidents, districts should be prepared to provide:
- Operational Status
Whether schools are open, closed, delayed, evacuated, relocated or operating under modified conditions. - Facility Impacts
Flooding, water intrusion, roof damage, mud or debris flows, drainage problems, structural concerns or other significant damage. - Utility Impacts
Power, gas, water, sewer, telecommunications or internet outages and estimated restoration times, when available. - Transportation Impacts
Road closures, inaccessible campuses, interrupted bus routes, stranded vehicles or unsafe transportation routes. - Student and Staff Impacts
Significant impacts affecting students or employees, including evacuations, displacement or individuals requiring additional assistance. - Protective Actions
Evacuations, shelter-in-place actions, early dismissals, relocations, closures or other emergency measures. - Resource Needs
Emergency resources or assistance the district cannot obtain or address internally. - Estimated Duration
Anticipated duration of closures, service interruptions or significant impacts, when known. - District Point of Contact
Name and current contact information for the individual coordinating the district's response.
Before the next significant storm:
- Confirm school-to-district emergency reporting procedures.
- Confirm district emergency contacts and alternates.
- Confirm local emergency manager and LACOE contacts.
- Register appropriate personnel for emergency and utility notifications.
- Verify CDE SERS access and reporting responsibility.
- Review vulnerable facilities and drainage systems.
- Review transportation routes and alternate access.
- Check generators, backup communications, and critical supplies.
- Review closure, evacuation, relocation, and continuity procedures.
- Confirm how urgent resource needs will be communicated and elevated.
Residents - Prepare Before the Rain
A few steps now can make a difference when severe weather arrives:
- Sign up for emergency alerts. Register at Alert LA County to receive emergency notifications, including evacuation warnings and orders.
- Know your risk. Find out whether your home or property is vulnerable to flooding, mudslides or debris flows, particularly if you live near a hillside, canyon or recent burn area.
- Make an emergency plan. Know where you would go and how you would get there if you need to evacuate.
- Gather emergency supplies. Keep food, water, medications and other essentials on hand.
- Prepare your property. Clear gutters, downspouts and nearby storm drains, repair roof leaks and address areas where water could enter.
- Prepare your vehicle. Check tires, windshield wipers, headlights and brake lights before storm season.
- Consider flood insurance. Standard homeowners insurance generally does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is separate and may take at least 30 days to go into effect.
- Stay informed. Monitor weather forecasts, emergency alerts and instructions from local authorities before and during storms.
For additional preparedness information, visit Ready LA County's Rain and Flooding Resources.
Use the FEMA Flood Map Service Center to look up your property's flood zone and available flood-risk information. Los Angeles County Public Works also provides a Flood Zone Determination Map for local information.
Before heavy rain:
- Clear leaves and debris from gutters, downspouts and nearby storm drains.
- Inspect your roof and repair leaks.
- Identify areas where water could enter your property.
- Obtain sandbags before storms arrive, if needed.
Use the Los Angeles County Public Works Sandbags Dashboard to find nearby sandbag distribution locations. Contact the listed location before visiting to confirm availability.
Homes and properties near hillsides, canyons and recent burn areas can face increased risk of mud and debris flows during heavy storms.
Before a storm, consider placing sandbags at vulnerable entry points, protecting windows and directing potential flows away from structures rather than attempting to dam them.
Los Angeles County Public Works provides mud and debris flow forecasts to help residents monitor conditions. For property-specific preparedness guidance, call (800) 933-0930 to speak with a Public Works engineer.
