San Diego County declared a local emergency Wednesday, Sept. 30, to prepare for what forecasters say could be a historic El Niño storm season this fall and winter.
The proclamation, reported by CBS 8, allows county crews to respond faster to flooding, landslides, debris flows and damage to critical infrastructure. It follows Gov. Gavin Newsom's statewide emergency proclamation on Sept. 21, which mobilized the California National Guard and ordered agencies to stage flood equipment.
Coronado felt similar impacts in January 2024, when heavy rain overwhelmed the city's stormwater system and burst a sewer line. City Manager Tina Friend described the island's exposure at an Aug. 18 City Council meeting, as reported by the Coronado Times: "We are just intrinsically vulnerable … We are flat. We are at sea level. We are surrounded by water."
The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center (CPC) puts the chance of a strong El Niño event at more than 90% this fall and winter. Warmer-than-average ocean temperatures are expected to fuel steady, widespread rainfall across the region, according to the county.
Potential impacts include urban flooding, mudslides, coastal erosion, road closures and power outages. Disaster modelers at Climate X estimate El Niño could cause $2 billion to $3 billion in statewide losses from flooding and mudslides through the winter, Insurance Journal reported. Coastal erosion risk tends to rise by more than two-thirds during extreme El Niño events, according to Climate X.
San Diego County Emergency Services Director Daryl Arbuthnott said the proclamation speeds access to resources and funding when major storms hit. County outreach crews have been visiting vulnerable communities to offer guidance on storm preparation, according to CBS 8.
County Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton said the declaration strengthens the county's ability to respond quickly, communicate clearly and get residents the resources they need.
The county also launched the El Niño 2026 Information Hub on AlertSanDiego.org. The hub offers emergency alert sign-ups by phone, text and email; free sandbag and sand pickup locations at county and CAL FIRE stations; current weather conditions; the Tell Us Now app for reporting non-emergency storm damage on county infrastructure; and the Know Your Hazards Map to identify flood, landslide and coastal risk zones.
County Public Works crews are clearing storm drains, channels and culverts ahead of major storms. High-priority flood-prone locations are being inspected regularly, and additional personnel and equipment are prepositioned for rapid response, according to the hub.
Coronado completed its $32 million Parker Pump Station in August, replacing a 1983 facility that collects stormwater from about 150 acres of the city. The upgrade came after the January 2024 flooding exposed the old system's limits.
San Diego County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre held a town hall Wednesday, Sept. 30, to discuss emergency readiness, citing the January 2024 floods, according to the County News Center.
Residents can sign up for emergency alerts and find preparation steps at alertsandiego.org.
