City Urging Residents to be Safe and Careful During Upcoming Winter Storm

SAN DIEGO - The National Weather Service has issued a series of storm advisories, including high surf and flood warnings, for the coast, inland areas and mountains of San Diego County from now until next Tuesday. The Weather Service warns of heavy rains, extensive runoff causing urban and stream flooding, strong winds, and snow at high elevations. The Weather Service says "astronomically high tides" combined with the "copious moisture" could also cause some coastal flooding.

The City of San Diego is urging residents and visitors to use precaution during this storm. If you need to drive, please obey all warning signs and do not drive through areas with moving water or areas that are or appear flooded. Also, please do not remove barricades, cones or warning beacons from roadways. If your car stalls, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground. Many deaths have resulted from attempts to move stalled vehicles.

For those who would like sandbags, they will be available free of charge at:

Belmont Park Lifeguard Headquarters - Near the Roller Coaster in Mission Beach
Fire Station 21 - Pacific Beach - 750 Grand Avenue
Fire Station 28 - Kearny Mesa - 3880 Kearny Villa Road
Fire Station 37 - Scripps Ranch - 11640 Spring Canyon Drive
Fire Station 39 - Tierrasanta - 4949 La Cuenta Drive

San Diegans are also advised to stay away from rock jetties and areas near the shoreline where surf can be dangerous. Recent rainfall has also made many of the cliffs near the ocean unstable. The rain has also undermined some trees in San Diego. Hundreds of eucalyptus trees have already fallen throughout the City and those that remain have been seriously weakened by earlier storms.

Important Phone Numbers to remember are:

To report Traffic Signal outages, fallen trees blocking roadways or flooded streets: 619- 527-7500.
If you see a sewer manhole overflowing, call the Sewer Emergency number at 619-515-3525.
Remember that the Storm Drain System is not connected to the Sewer System. If you see a blocked Storm Drain and are unable to safely remove debris from the drain, call the Streets Division at 619-527-7500.

Also, remember to turn off your irrigation system to conserve water. Not only does it save you money and save the City a valuable resource.

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