San Diego County supervisors approved a storm-readiness plan for the approaching El Niño season on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The Board of Supervisors directed staff to build a countywide Severe Weather Community Preparedness Resource Hub and outreach strategy.

Supervisors also ordered the chief administrative officer to return Tuesday, Oct. 6, with a specific preparedness plan for unincorporated communities hit hard by January 2024 floods, according to the County News Center. That plan will cover nine previously flooded sites, first-day response actions and assistance options for families with limited financial resources.

The action comes as NOAA's Climate Prediction Center puts the chance of a very strong El Niño this fall and winter above 90%, Times of San Diego reported Sept. 12. The agency also estimates a 75% chance this event will exceed the strength of every El Niño recorded since the 1950s.

The county's preparedness update warns of longer, more frequent storms from October through April, with low-lying coastal neighborhoods facing the highest flood risk alongside threats of coastal erosion and landslides.

Sea surface temperatures at the Scripps Pier in La Jolla hit 76.8 degrees in late August, approaching a daily record of 77 degrees set in 2015, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Daniel Swain, an associate researcher at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and the National Center for Atmospheric Research, warned in a Sept. 12 Times of San Diego report that the convergence of king tides, a Kelvin wave and a major storm could bring severe coastal flooding. "It could happen, and it could get pretty darn bad," Swain said. "That would paralyze a lot of the low-lying infrastructure."

The county has expanded its emergency workforce since the 2024 floods. More than 1,200 county employees now hold dedicated emergency roles and receive annual training to support multi-day storm operations. The county also launched a new Engagement Division within its Office of Emergency Services to expand community outreach.

San Diego County Public Works maintains nearly 2,000 miles of county roads and operates 13 maintenance stations providing 24/7 storm response. Roads, drainage channels and culverts are being inspected and reinforced.

The city of San Diego is also acting early. Dustin Ivers of the San Diego Office of Emergency Services said in a Sept. 10 FOX 5 San Diego report that crews are installing sand berms on beaches about a month ahead of the usual October schedule because of the strong El Niño predictions.

Nearly 40 county and Cal Fire stations offer free sand and sandbags. Locations and hours are listed at AlertSanDiego.org. Residents can report storm-related road issues by calling 877-684-8000.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to receive the flood-community preparedness plan at its Tuesday, Oct. 6, meeting.