SAN MATEO COUNTY — October 26, 2026. San Mateo County’s Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency on October 20 for advance preparation ahead of a potentially wet winter associated with El Niño, according to District 1 Supervisor Jackie Speier’s October 26 county newsletter.

What the declaration changes

The county plans an interdepartmental El Niño Preparedness and Response Task Force, coordinated through the Department of Emergency Management and involving city governments, special districts and partners such as PG&E and Caltrans. Planned actions include clearing storm drains and culverts, coordinating sandbag information, preparing multilingual public alerts and contacting residents who may need more assistance.

Who needs to prepare?

People living along waterways, in flood-prone neighborhoods or near slopes potentially affected by heavy rain should review county alerts and evacuation guidance. Older adults and people with disabilities may need additional preparation time. Supervisor Speier also highlighted high tides around Thanksgiving and Christmas as circumstances that can worsen coastal or creek flooding if heavy rain occurs at the same time.

A preparedness declaration is not an evacuation order, nor does it mean flooding has happened in a particular town today. Forecasts of seasonal conditions cannot predict the timing or damage from any individual storm. Residents should check official weather forecasts, keep medicines and emergency supplies accessible and investigate flood-insurance terms well before a storm; policies often have waiting periods.

Official county source: Supervisor Jackie Speier’s October 26 county newsletter. Emergency resources are available at San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management.

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