Californians who faced severe winter storms in December and January can file their state and federal taxes as late as Oct. 16 this year.

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For most Americans, taxes will still be due April 18 this year, but Gov. Gavin Newsom extended the deadline for nearly all of California’s counties to bring the state in line with the federal government. After the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, issued a disaster declaration in much of the state, the IRS announced in January that it would push the federal deadline to October.

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Climate change has intensified extreme weather events in the state. Over the last three months — and during its still-ongoing drought — California has faced some of the most severe winter storms in recent history. A series of atmospheric rivers in December and January led to widespread flooding and several deaths. Currently, snowpack in the Sierra is on track to break March records. The new tax deadline takes into account the hardships incurred by Californians.

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Residents and businesses in 51 of 58 counties affected by storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides will be eligible for this tax timeline, including but not limited to Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, Sutter and Yuba counties. The only counties not covered are Imperial, Kern, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta and Sierra counties.

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The extension applies not only to standard individual returns, but also to those who make quarterly estimated tax payments. The quarterly payments, which would have been due Jan. 17, April 18, June 15 and Sept. 15, 2023, will now be due in October. Business entities in affected counties can also push the tax returns normally filed by March 15 and April 18 to the October date.

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Some people may also be eligible to claim disaster losses on their taxes, which the state’s Franchise Tax Board explains more fully.

This story was originally published March 11, 2023 at 11:38 am.