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PROCLAMATION OF THE THREATENED EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL
EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, California is entering the 2026-2027 wet season amid the ongoing development of a strong and likely historic El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean; and WHEREAS, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center “El Niño is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event during the Northern Hemisphere fall and winter 2026-27" within indications that “El Niño will continue to strengthen through the end of the year. During the October-December 2026 season, there is a 75% chance of a historic event that would exceed the strength of previous El Niño events dating back to 1950. With an event of this magnitude, the chances of experiencing impacts consistent with El Niño are larger, though not guaranteed. In summary, El Niño is strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event during the Northern Hemisphere fall and winter 2026-27"
(https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.shtml); and
WHEREAS, Section 11A-6 of the Salinas Municipal Code empowers the Director of Emergency Services (identified in Section 11A-5 of the Salinas Municipal Code as the City Manager) to request the City Council to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a “local emergency” if the City Council is in session; and
WHEREAS, the California Emergency Services Act authorizes the governing body of a city, county, or city and county, to proclaim a local emergency (California Government Code section 8630); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority granted to the Governor of the State of California by the California Emergency Services Act, on September 21, 2026, Governor Newsom issued a Proclamation of a State of Emergency in anticipation of the developing 2026-2027 El Niño Event (https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/SIGNED_Super-El-Nino-SOE-9-21-
26.pdf); and
WHEREAS, Salinas has experienced increasingly severe and destructive storms, including the “2023 Pineapple Express” which produced a significant amount of rain over several hours causing the Salinas River to “over-top” its banks and flood into the City’s Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant and also causing significant flooding in other localized areas. Similarly, other atmospheric river events which have caused flooding, high winds, power outages, fallen trees, and damage to critical infrastructure and the disruption of essential services within Salinas; and WHEREAS, Salinas’s recent experiences with strong winter storms and damage to critical infrastructure and the disruption of essential services demonstrates the importance of taking actions to prepare before severe storms arrive; and
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WHEREAS, the Salinas City Council finds that conditions and threatened conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due to the developing El Niño event; and WHEREAS, these conditions are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City, requiring the combined forces of the State and other political subdivisions and agencies; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Emergency Services is identified in Section 11A-5 of the Salinas Municipal Code as the City Manager and is provided powers delineated in Section 11A-5 of the Salinas Municipal Code and Section 11A-6.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF SALINAS that a local emergency exists throughout the city of Salinas as a result of the threatened existence of conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the city caused by the developing 2026-2027 El Niño event; and
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that the Director of Emergency Services, Assistant Director of Emergency Services (who shall be appointed by the Director), are hereby designated as the authorized representatives of the City of Salinas for the purpose of receipt, processing, and coordination of all inquiries and requirements necessary to obtain available state and federal assistance; and
IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that during the existence of said local emergency the powers, functions, and duties of the Director of Emergency Services and the emergency organization of the City of Salinas shall be those prescribed by state law and Charter, ordinances, and resolutions of the City of Salinas, and that the City Council shall review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every sixty (60) days until the City Council terminates the local emergency.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Salinas this 29th day of September 2026.
______________________________
Dennis Donohue, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________________
Christopher A. Callihan, City Attorney
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ATTEST:
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Patricia M. Soratos, City Clerk