El Niño household prep

Louisiana this winter: El Niño plan for floods, storms, outages

Last reviewed: Nov 5, 2026

<!-- Drafter notes (US-LA, 2026-11-05, quote pass). Every factual sentence below is an exact quote from the page it links, and each quote is a claim cell of research/sources/US-LA.csv for that URL (http_status=200, checked 2026-11-05). No phone number is copied from the GOHSEP parish contacts page (W11). ready.gov and louisiana211.org are not cited. Water per day and days of food are not stated for a general household kit (see Gaps). Costs stay in the table (W9). No NFIP calendar date in prose: the checklist page carries the key date nfip-authority-2026-12-11 (W4). --> Follow your local authorities. In an emergency call 999/911.

This page is about this winter's risks: rain floods, tornado warnings and power cuts. It puts the steps in the order to do them and links the official page for each. The full costed checklist for a family of four is on the Louisiana checklist page.

What El Niño changes in Louisiana

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) discussion dated 8 October 2026 says: "El Niño continues to strengthen, with a strong-to-very strong El Niño likely through January-March 2027 (remaining greater than an 83% chance)." (NOAA CPC, ENSO Diagnostic Discussion). We do not add odds of our own. For the national picture, see Is El Niño coming to my state?.

The next three statements are regional (the Gulf Coast and the Deep South), not a Louisiana forecast. NOAA Climate.gov says: "The most reliable of these signals (the one that has been observed most frequently) is wetter-than-average conditions along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida during this 6-month period." (NOAA Climate.gov, US El Niño impacts). The National Weather Service office in Jackson says: "El Niño episodes generally mean wetter and cooler weather during the winter and spring for the Deep South." (NWS Jackson, El Niño and La Niña). The office in Tallahassee says: "The Gulf Coast generally sees cooler and wetter conditions, not because of numerous arctic outbreaks, but because of the stronger influence of the subtropical jet stream." and "Storm tracks are farther south on average, producing more clouds, rain, and severe weather." (NWS Tallahassee, El Niño page).

The hazards that matter this winter

Your plan, in order

Now

  1. Alerts. "WEA messages include a special tone and vibration, both repeated twice." "No signup is required! Alerts are sent automatically to WEA-capable phones during an emergency." (NWS, Wireless Emergency Alerts). In New Orleans, the city says: "Get emergency information directly from the City of New Orleans." and "Sign up online or text NOLAREADY to 77295" (NOLA Ready, emergency alerts).
  2. A weather radio. "NWR broadcasts official Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." (NOAA Weather Radio). GOHSEP's kit list includes "Battery-powered radio" (GOHSEP, Family Plan).
  3. Your local forecast office. The National Weather Service pages for Louisiana are headed "Weather Forecast Office New Orleans/Baton Rouge" (NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge), "Lake Charles, LA" (NWS Lake Charles) and "Shreveport, LA" (NWS Shreveport).
  4. An evacuation plan. GOHSEP says: "Prepare a personal evacuation plan." "Identify ahead of time where you could go if you are told to evacuate. Choose several places- a friend's home in another town, a motel or a shelter." "Keep handy the telephone numbers of these places as well as a road map of your locality." (GOHSEP, Family Plan).
  5. Your flood risk. The National Weather Service asks: "Is your home, business or school in a floodplain? Where is water likely to collect on the roadways you most often travel? What is the fastest way to get to higher ground?" and adds: "Knowing the answers to these questions ahead of time can save your life." (NWS, Before a Flood).
  6. Insurance. See the insurance paragraph below.

Within 2 weeks

  1. Water. GOHSEP's emergency kit list includes "At least three gallons of water per person" (GOHSEP, Family Plan). The checklist page shows the quantity for a family of four.
  2. Food. GOHSEP's kit list includes "Canned food and non-electric can opener" and "High energy foods - peanut butter, jelly, crackers, etc" (GOHSEP, Family Plan).
  3. Medicines. GOHSEP's kit list includes "First aid kit and essential medications-prescription medications and list of medications for each person" (GOHSEP, Family Plan). The CDC says: "An emergency can make it difficult for them to refill their prescription or to find an open pharmacy." and "Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how you can create an emergency supply of medicines." (CDC, Prescriptions).
  4. Light, warmth and papers. GOHSEP's kit list includes "Flashlight", "Extra Batteries", "Clothing and bedding: a change of clothes, footwear and a sleeping bag or bedroll and pillow for each household member" and "Important papers to take with you in a portable, waterproof container:" (GOHSEP, Family Plan).
  5. Carbon monoxide. "Install battery-operated or battery back-up CO detectors near every sleeping area in your home." "Only use generators outside, more than 20 feet away from any windows, doors, and vents." "The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion." (CDC, carbon monoxide). The Consumer Product Safety Commission says: "Install battery-operated CO alarms or CO alarms with battery backup on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas." (CPSC, Carbon Monoxide Information Center).
  6. Medical equipment. GOHSEP says: "Register with your local power company." "Make prior arrangements with your physician and medical supplier if you require medical devices that operate on electricity." "If you require oxygen, check with your supplier about emergency plans." (GOHSEP, Family Plan).
  7. Pets. "Important items concerning pets to take along during an evacuation: health records, 3-day food and water supply, pet carriers, leashes, harnesses, muzzles, special medications." (GOHSEP, Family Plan).
  8. Sandbags. GOHSEP says: "If flooding is expected, consider using sandbags to keep water away from your home." "It takes two people about one hour to fill and place 100 sandbags, giving you a wall one foot high and 20 feet long." (GOHSEP, Family Plan).
  9. Water notices and treating water. The CDC says: "You cannot make water containing fuel, toxic chemicals, or radioactive materials safe by boiling or disinfecting it." "Bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for 3 minutes)." (CDC, water emergencies). For how to disinfect water with bleach, and the amounts, read the CDC page above.

When a warning is issued

During

After

Alerts and who to call

| For | Contact, as printed on the source | Source | |---|---|---| | Carbon monoxide poisoning | "call 911 or your local Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222" | CDC | | New Orleans emergency alerts | "Sign up online or text NOLAREADY to 77295" | NOLA Ready | | Parish emergency management | The state office lists them on its "Parish OHSEP Contacts" page (we copy no numbers, see the gaps) | GOHSEP |

Insurance in one paragraph

FloodSmart.gov, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) site, says: "Most homeowners and renters insurance does not cover flood damage." and "Your flood insurance coverage will go into effect 30 days after your date of purchase. There are four exceptions to this rule:" (FloodSmart, buy a policy). The National Weather Service says: "Since standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover flooding, ensure coverage by contacting your insurance company or agent to purchase flood insurance." (NWS, Before a Flood). The Louisiana checklist page shows the NFIP date to check and what to check before you buy or renew.

More guides

Gaps we know about