County Monitoring Christmas Week Storm

Media
Dec 24, 2025
2 min read

The County of San Diego is closely monitoring National Weather Service forecasts as a winter storm is expected to impact the region Tuesday, December 23.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flood watch from 4 a.m. Wednesday, through 1 a.m. Thursday. A wind advisory is also in effect from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve with gusts up to 45 mph expected. The NWS predicts light rain on Tuesday, the most widespread rainfall will occur late Wednesday morning. Excessive runoff could result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone areas. Moderate rain could continue through the weekend, according to the NWS forecast.

The County is coordinating with local jurisdictions and emergency response partners to ensure readiness and keep the public informed. CALFIRE/San Diego County Fire is prepared to respond, including two river rescue teams if needed.

Take steps now to prepare

Stay informed: Visit the San Diego National Weather Service website and follow @NWSSanDiego on social media for the latest weather alerts and safety information.
Sign up for emergency alerts: Be sure your cell phone is registered with AlertSanDiego, the notification system used by first responders to alert you. People may also register their VoIP phone numbers or emails.
Prepare your property: Clear debris from storm drains and gutters, and secure outdoor items that could blow away.
Sandbags:The County and CAL FIRE are providing free bags and/or sand at numerous fire stations for people who live in the unincorporated areas. You may also want to check out this how-to video, “You’ve Got Your Sandbags, Now What?” that explains how to properly fill and use sandbags to protect your property.
Sandbags help to divert or redirect water, mud, and debris from your property and help prevent soil erosion. For locations where you can get sand and sandbags, visit: Temporary Sand and Sandbag Locations
Do not drive your vehicle through a flooded roadway – “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
Do not enter rivers, creeks or beaches after rain begins: The County Department of Environmental Health warns swimmers, surfers, and other ocean users that levels of bacteria can rise significantly in ocean and bay waters, especially near storm drains, creeks, rivers, and lagoon outlets that discharge urban runoff. Urban runoff may contain large amounts of bacteria from a variety of sources such as animal waste, soil, and decomposing vegetation. Activities such as swimming, surfing and diving should be avoided in all coastal waters for 72 hours following rain.
Download the County’s Alert San Diego app: Create a personal disaster plan and go-kit.