Facing what could be the rainiest winter in years thanks to an expected El Ni\u00f1o, San Diego officials plan to announce Tuesday a broad preparation campaign focused on clearing flood channels and educating residents.<\/p>\n
The city plans to nearly double the number of miles of storm channel it clears of weeds and debris this fiscal year, with efforts focused on neighborhoods inundated in January 2024\u00a0and other areas vulnerable to floods.<\/p>\n
Residents and property owners around the city are being urged to assess their flood risk, create a detailed emergency plan for heavy rain events and sign up for a variety of alert systems focused on weather forecasts and evacuations.<\/p>\n
The city plans to send more than 7,000 mailers during the next month to addresses\u00a0in areas of high flood risk with guidance on protecting their property, understanding their risks and buying flood insurance.<\/p>\n
Officials have launched a new website<\/a> dedicated to the likely El Ni\u00f1o \u2014 which forecasters say could become a \u201csuper El Ni\u00f1o\u201d \u2014 featuring crucial information on how to handle slopes, gutters, roofs and sandbags. The site is sandiego.gov\/elnino<\/a>.<\/p>\n The city has also created an El Ni\u00f1o flier \u2014 translated into nine different languages \u2014 that includes maps of vulnerable neighborhoods and tips on gathering enough food, medications, pet supplies and other issues.<\/p>\n Officials have also created a working group that includes the heads of all city departments and some regional agencies to coordinate preparedness, response operations and public information ahead of the rainy season.<\/p>\n \u201cFor months, departments across the city have been working together to prepare our infrastructure, strengthen our emergency response and identify areas vulnerable to flooding,\u201d Mayor Todd Gloria said. \u201cWe need San Diegans to prepare with us by knowing their flood risk, making an emergency plan and staying informed.\u201d<\/p>\n City officials say there are \u201cstrong indications of El Ni\u00f1o conditions in the tropical Pacific, with a high probability of those conditions intensifying into a \u2018Super\u2019 El Ni\u00f1o event by late 2026,\u201d citing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.<\/p>\n The new El Ni\u00f1o website says to expect humid summer conditions, dangerous coastal swells and high probabilities of severe\u00a0winter storms and heavy flooding. It also mentions mudslides, power outages and downed trees.<\/p>\n \u201cPrevious El Ni\u00f1o events of a similar magnitude have brought record-breaking sea levels, significant coastal erosion and severe regional flooding,\u201d the website says. \u201cWhile very strong El Ni\u00f1o conditions tilt the odds heavily toward destructive storms, historical outcomes show that actual rainfall totals can still vary significantly.\u201d<\/p>\n Within the sprawling city, 15,000 acres and more than 6,900 structures are located in FEMA-designated flood hazard areas. But city officials stress that flooding can also happen outside such areas.<\/p>\n That\u2019s one reason they are recommending that residents and property owners explore securing flood insurance.<\/p>\n The El Ni\u00f1o website warns that most homeowners insurance doesn\u2019t cover flood damage, explaining that flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, the contents of a building or both.<\/p>\n The site recommends residents visit floodsmart.gov<\/a>. City officials also note that thousands of local property owners and renters are eligible for a 15% discount on flood insurance premiums because San Diego participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.<\/p>\n City officials said that during the fiscal year that ended June 30, the Stormwater Department cleared more than 11 miles of channels and focused on dangerous areas like those flooded in 2024.<\/p>\n In the new fiscal year that began July 1, city officials say they plan to clear 20 miles of channels and focus on the same vulnerable areas.<\/p>\n That\u2019s even more than the 18 cleared<\/a> after 2024 flooding \u2014 the most the city had cleared in a year in recent history.<\/p>\n