The massive storm moving into Southern California is slowing down and gaining strength and will likely drop 2 to 4 inches of rain across San Diego County between late Monday afternoon to late Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said.
“Flooding will be possible everywhere,” said Adam Rozer, a weather service forecaster. “The San Diego River could reach 10 feet on Tuesday afternoon.”
Sunday afternoon, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for eight counties in Southern California, including San Diego County. The proclamation came as a series of winter storms began impacting much of the state with high winds, damaging rain and heavy snowfall. It includes provisions authorizing a California National Guard response, if needed, and facilitation of unemployment benefits for impacted residents. It also allows out-of-state contractors and utilities to help repair storm damage.
On Sunday evening, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria announced the city had issued evacuation warnings to several low-lying communities that already suffered flood damage in earlier storms including Southcrest, Mountain View, Encanto, Rolando and other southeastern and south San Diego neighborhoods.
“This is a warning, not an order,” Gloria said. “This warning is designed to have residents in these communities make preparations now should it become necessary in the future” to evacuate. If an evacuation order is issued, first responders will go door-to-door, the mayor said.
Gloria said he was grateful for the governor’s emergency proclamation, which he said will make it easier to respond to “whatever Mother Nature throws our way” in coming days.
Fire Chief Colin Stowell said the Fire-Rescue Department has beefed up its staffing because of the storm, calling in extra firefighters, lifeguards and dispatchers to handle calls. He urged residents to stay home, avoid outside activities and stay off the roads if they can. “If you do not need to go outside, if you do not need to get on the roads, don’t,” Stowell said. He reminded drivers out driving in the rain not to go around barricades.
Officials said city workers and contractors have continued working to clear blockages in city storm drains, including those that had earlier problems in Chollas Creek as well as drains in Nestor, Otay Mesa and Sorrento Valley.
The San Diego Housing Commission recently purchased a 50-room hotel on Midway Drive and plans to use the property to house families, seniors and those with disabilities affected by the storm, a spokesperson for the mayor said.
As of Saturday night, there were 136 people in all placed at hotels by the city. “This is just to bridge the time period until the County of San Diego stands up its housing assistance program to put displaced people in temporary housing,” said Rachel Laing, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office. “There are a dozen hotels in the program right now and the Housing Commission is trying to get more on board.”
A high surf advisory goes into effect in San Diego County at noon Sunday. Waves could reach 8 to 10 feet at west-facing beaches.
Here is the projected average rainfall for 14 communities in the county. Precipitation can vary greatly in any city, particularly when there are shifting winds. Isolated spots can receive substantially higher rainfall than other areas due to sustained downpours.
Oceanside: 3.54 inches
Palomar Mountain: 3.52 inches
Fallbrook: 3.41 inches
Rancho Bernardo: 2.62 inches
Miramar: 2.52 inches
Julian: 2.43 inches
La Mesa: 2.31 inches
San Diego International Airport: 2.28 inches
El Cajon: 2.20 inches
Chula Vista: 2.07 inches
San Ysidro: 1.96 inches
Mount Laguna: 1.83 inches
Campo: 1.53 inches
Borrego Springs: 0.63 inches
The San Diego River in Fashion Valley is expected to reach the flood stage of 10 feet by 5 a.m. on Tuesday.
In anticipation of the heavy rain, the National Weather Service on Sunday afternoon issued a flood watch for San Diego County’s coastal areas, valleys, mountains and deserts, that will be in effect from Monday afternoon through Wednesday morning. The office said excessive runoff may cause rivers, creeks and streams to rise out of their banks, causing flooding.
Even worse trouble is expected just to the north. Forecasters say that many parts of Orange County will receive 5 to 7 inches of rain.
“Locally catastrophic and life- threatening flash flooding will be possible across Orange County, western portions of the Inland Empire and the San Bernardino County Mountains on Monday, the weather service said.
The weather service increased projected rainfall totals before dawn Sunday when it became clear that the system is slowing a bit, giving the North Pacific storm more time to draw moisture from an area east of the Hawaiian islands.
“This is going to be a bad one,” said Ivory Small, a weather service forecaster. “Somewhere between Santa Barbara and San Diego, we’re going to have another incident like the one that happened on Jan. 22.”
He was referring to a storm that produced unusually long and intense periods of rain that generated flash floods that caused serious damage to more than 400 homes and minor damage to more than 100. San Diego International Airport recorded 2.73 inches of rain, making it the fourth wettest day in the city’s history.
The incoming storm was expected to be even stronger in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties, drawing an unusually sharp written warning from the weather service. It says, “All areas, including highly populated urban areas, will be at risk for life-threatening flooding.”
To receive current emergency information and instructions regarding flooding, residents are encouraged to sign up for alerts at alertsandiego.org, the county’s emergency app and follow the county on social media.
Community who find themselves in need of assistance can call 211 — a nonprofit that connects people with community, health and disaster services. Residents and businesses interested in protecting their homes and properties before Monday’s storm can pick up free sand and bags at various locations across the county.
The temporary shelter set up by the city earlier this week at the Municipal Gymnasium in Balboa Park to house families forced to evacuate after the Jan. 22 storm will also remain open. The shelter is providing temporary housing, meals, crisis counseling and help replacing medication. The San Diego Humane Society is on site, as well, offering pet . Officials on Sunday said the gymnasium could house 150 more people.
A local assistance center for flood victims at the Mountain View Community Center will be temporarily closed Monday and possibly Tuesday because of the storm.
For more information about help available, visit alertsandiego.org or sandiego.gov/storm.
