Palo Alto will host a free storm-preparedness open house at Fire Station 3 on Thursday, Oct. 29. The event comes as federal forecasters warn of a potentially historic El Niño winter.

The open house runs from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 799 Embarcadero Road, according to the city's event page. City staff will walk attendees through storm-readiness tools, sandbag-filling demonstrations and how to sign up for emergency alerts.

Residents can also learn how to track weather forecasts, monitor creek water levels and report storm damage.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center said in its Oct. 8 outlook that a strong-to-very strong El Niño is likely through early 2027. It estimated an 83% chance of historic strength for October–December and 70% for November–January. El Niño strength does not guarantee a wet winter or flooding in Palo Alto. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Sept. 21 to mobilize flood-fighting resources statewide, according to his office’s announcement.

Palo Alto faces flood risk from several waterways. San Francisquito Creek runs along the city's northern border, and Matadero, Adobe and Barron Creeks all pose threats between November and March, according to the city's flood preparedness page.

The city is also working on infrastructure. A storm drain pump station and pipe-upsizing project on East Bayshore Road aims to eliminate rainy-season flooding in that area, though a city notice about its July Municipal Service Center open house reported that underground conflicts were taking additional time to resolve.

KQED reported in September that climate scientists warn El Niño could trigger unprecedented Bay Area flooding. Warming ocean water could temporarily raise sea levels by several inches. Large-scale ocean disturbances called Kelvin waves could push levels up 9 inches or more over days or weeks.

Stanford University is coordinating its own storm preparations with Palo Alto and Menlo Park through exercises running into December. Chris Godley, Stanford's director of emergency management, said in a Sept. 30 Stanford News article that personal preparation matters. "If you have a plan at home and alternative commute routes, then you can safely come to campus and handle work issues," Godley said.

Sandbags will be available between November and March at three locations: Palo Alto Airport, Mitchell Park and Rinconada Park, according to the city’s flood-preparedness page. The Oct. 29 open house is free.