SAN DIEGO — Facing what could be the rainiest winter in years thanks to an expected El Niño, San Diego officials plan to announce Tuesday a broad preparation campaign focused on clearing flood channels and educating residents.

The city plans to nearly double the number of miles of storm channel it clears of weeds and debris this fiscal year, with efforts focused on neighborhoods inundated in January 2024 and other areas vulnerable to floods.

Residents and property owners around the city are being urged to assess their flood risk, create a detailed emergency plan for heavy rain events and sign up for a variety of alert systems focused on weather forecasts and evacuations.

The city plans to send more than 7,000 mailers during the next month to addresses in areas of high flood risk with guidance on protecting their property, understanding their risks and buying flood insurance.

Officials have launched a new website dedicated to the likely El Niño — which forecasters say could become a “super El Niño” — featuring crucial information on how to handle slopes, gutters, roofs and sandbags. The site is sandiego.gov/elnino.

The city has also created an El Niño flier — translated into nine different languages — that includes maps of vulnerable neighborhoods and tips on gathering enough food, medications, pet supplies and other issues.

Officials have also created a working group that includes the heads of all city departments and some regional agencies to coordinate preparedness, response operations and public information ahead of the rainy season.

“For months, departments across the city have been working together to prepare our infrastructure, strengthen our emergency response and identify areas vulnerable to flooding,” Mayor Todd Gloria said. “We need San Diegans to prepare with us by knowing their flood risk, making an emergency plan and staying informed.”

City officials say there are “strong indications of El Niño conditions in the tropical Pacific, with a high probability of those conditions intensifying into a ‘Super’ El Niño event by late 2026,” citing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The new El Niño website says to expect humid summer conditions, dangerous coastal swells and high probabilities of severe winter storms and heavy flooding. It also mentions mudslides, power outages and downed trees.

“Previous El Niño events of a similar magnitude have brought record-breaking sea levels, significant coastal erosion and severe regional flooding,” the website says. “While very strong El Niño conditions tilt the odds heavily toward destructive storms, historical outcomes show that actual rainfall totals can still vary significantly.”

Within the sprawling city, 15,000 acres and more than 6,900 structures are located in FEMA-designated flood hazard areas. But city officials stress that flooding can also happen outside such areas.

That’s one reason they are recommending that residents and property owners explore securing flood insurance.

The El Niño website warns that most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, explaining that flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, the contents of a building or both.

The site recommends residents visit floodsmart.gov. City officials also note that thousands of local property owners and renters are eligible for a 15% discount on flood insurance premiums because San Diego participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.

City officials said that during the fiscal year that ended June 30, the Stormwater Department cleared more than 11 miles of channels and focused on dangerous areas like those flooded in 2024.

In the new fiscal year that began July 1, city officials say they plan to clear 20 miles of channels and focus on the same vulnerable areas.

That’s even more than the 18 cleared after 2024 flooding — the most the city had cleared in a year in recent history.

That January, flooding devastated parts of southeastern San Diego and displaced thousands of people. The city is still fighting dozens of lawsuits from flood victims who blame it for failing to keep storm channels clear.

This year, the City Council made a last-minute addition in the new budget of $2 million for channel clearing at the urging of Fire Chief Robert Logan.

About the new working group, Assistant Fire Chief Rob Rezende said this week that it has helped hone preparations.

“For months, our office has been working closely with city departments and regional partners to plan and prepare for this El Niño weather event,” said Rezende, who oversees the city’s Office of Emergency Services. “We remain focused on coordinating all available resources to weather this storm season.”

The local office of the National Weather Service praised the city’s efforts.

“NWS San Diego and the city of San Diego share a strong partnership,” meteorologist Felix Castro said. “In the event of an emergency, we are there to support the city, just as they consistently support us with damage reports and vital information.”

The city is urging residents to take three immediate steps: Create an emergency plan including evacuation routes, create an emergency kit with supplies for three days and sign up for Alert San Diego and other notifications. Go to alertsandiego.org for details.

Gloria, Logan and Rezende are expected to host a Tuesday news conference in Balboa Park to discuss the broad preparation campaign, joined by Council President Joe LaCava, Council member Sean Elo-Rivera and county emergency officials.

The council’s Environment Committee is scheduled to discuss the city’s El Niño preparations during a meeting Thursday afternoon.

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