San Diego County emerges from historic rainfall totals for first day of 2026
San Diego got a month’s worth of rain to start the new year. More than 2 inches of rain fell at San Diego’s airport between midnight and early Thursday afternoon, which is more than we would normally get in an entire January (1.98”).
“It’ll finish as one of the top 15 rainiest days ever in the history of San Diego dating all the way back to the 1930s,” said NBC 7 meteorologist Greg Bledsoe.
All that water caused the San Diego River to peak at 12.75 feet on Thursday morning, which put it in the upper end of minor flood stage. The river level has dropped since then but will remain in minor flood stage until early Friday morning.
Around the city, the San Diego fire department and its lifeguards were called out to make at least 11 rescues. Cars were submerged under water in Mission Hills on Thursday morning and a business was badly damaged by rising water. Swift water trapped a man under a bridge in Mission Valley, requiring NBC 7’s Brooke Martell, who was at the scene, to call 9-1-1.
After Thursday, the heaviest rain from this storm has moved out.
Friday is looking drier, and slightly warmer as we get a break between storms. Another, colder system moving down out of Alaska will bring off and on rain chances again starting Saturday evening through the middle next week. As of Thursday night, the models show mostly lighter rain, but stay tuned on timing and rainfall amounts as we get closer.
We also have another full super moon this weekend for the fourth consecutive months, which will bring King Tides. We’ll have morning high tides around 7 feet each morning with Saturday and Sunday morning seeing the highest tides. Each afternoon will have negative low tides.
The National Weather Service issued a Beach Hazard Statement from Wednesday through Sunday due to the anticipated King Tides.
The preliminary forecast shows rain falling over San Diego County for next week from Wednesday through Saturday. Rainfall estimates are for totals of 0.6-1.2 inches in the coastal areas, 0.7-0.8 of an inch in the inland valleys, 0.04-0.5 of an inch in the low deserts, and 0.55-1.6 inches in the San Diego County mountains.
NBC 7’s Dave Summers visited Rolando Park on Thursday where people living in one apartment complex were afraid of history repeating itself.
Flooding situations around San Diego County on New Year’s Day
The large amount of water falling so quickly flooded many areas up and down San Diego County:
- The National Weather Service issued a river flood warning for the San Diego River through Friday. “The river is forecast to oscillate above the flood stage, reaching a maximum value of 11.9 feet [Thursday] afternoon,” the NWS posted. “It is expected to fall below flood stage shortly after midnight.”
The NWS said later in the day that the San Diego River is expected to drop from Minor Flood Stage late on Thursday, then below Monitor Stage by early Friday.
- Residents near Birch and Beta streets in Southcrest, the area flooded in 2023, battled flooding, with residents spotted apparently trying to unblock a storm drain. Several inches of water or more had backed up, the stormwater accumulated to mid-calf.
- At one point, the Coronado Police Department said the area of Five Points was completely shut down due to flooding in front of the Coronado Yacht Club and Tennis Center, but, by 10 a.m., the roadway had been re-opened.
- To the north, the California Highway Patrol warned motorists about roadway flooding in the Del Mar area on Interstate 5 southbound at South Via De La Valle, a major interchange providing southbound access south to downtown. The interchange is also a key route for accessing the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
- Also in North County, CHP was urging drivers to be cautious near the 8000 block of Harmony Grove Road in Oceanside, where county road crews are removing small rocks and debris deposited during the rainstorm. The CHP reports the roadway might need to be closed. Across town, the on-ramp to state Route 78 eastbound from El Camino Real was closed due to flooding.
- A San Diego Lifeguard Swift Water Rescue team rescued an adult and a child trapped in a vehicle by rapidly rising flood waters at the Fashion Valley mall.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokeswoman Candace Hadley described the flooding following Thursday morning rains as “a river, and said low-lying Fashion Valley had “very significant flooding,” especially in the Avenida Del Rio area.
Hadley said SDFRD crews conducted a swift-water rescue operation.
“One adult and one child became trapped in their vehicle due to flooding in Mission Valley and were rescued by lifeguards,” Hadley said.
The department strongly urged residents to avoid all flooded areas caused by the storm.
- Another water rescue took place in Sorrento Valley near Carroll Canyon Road and Pacific Heights Boulevard.
- Also, a viewer tipped NBC 7 about what they described as 3 feet of standing water on Reynard Way in Mission Hills due to what they described as a blocked storm drain. At least four cars were spotted partially submerged by the floodwaters.
- North of there, at the Mission Valley YMCA, the parking lot had flooded, likely caused by the nearby San Diego River escaping its banks. A several cars were spotted with water nearing their floorboards.
Power Outages
The storm that blew in Thursday morning brought with it significant power outages as well, affecting at least 5,000 San Diego Gas & Electric customers.
While residents in Clairemont, Bay Park, Morena, La Mesa and El Cajon were affected, the lion’s share of outages were in the San Diego communities of Logan Heights, Mountain View and Lincoln Park. At 8:30 a.m., the utility was reporting that 4,000-plus customers in those areas were without power. There was no estimated time for a return to service for those affected.
SDG&E crews were at the top of their game, though, and by midafternoon, the outage map was not showing a single incident around the county.
Airport ground stop
FAA officials announced at 8:14 a.m. on Thursday that a ground stop had been put into effect for departures at San Diego International Airport due to an “equipment outage.”
Just before 2:30 p.m., 235 flights had been delayed at SAN, with 49 flights canceled outright. By 11 p.m. on Thursday, it appeared that flights had resumed to largely normal operations at SAN.
Rain preparations
⚠ Residents can reduce the risk of flooding near their homes and properties by taking a few simple steps:
- Sweep and pick up trash, leaves, grass clippings and other debris that collect around storm drains and curb gutters near the home.
- Keep the lids securely closed on trash and recycle bins when placing them out on the street for collection. Place each bin 2 to 3 feet away from the curb so as not to impede stormwater.
- Turn off irrigation to save water and minimize runoff.
- Do not open or lift manhole covers in the event of street flooding.
- The city asked that people not try to drive, ride or walk through flood waters.
☑ Sandbags are also available in limited supply and can be picked up at 11 recreation centers centrally located in each City Council district. Sandbags are limited to 10 bags per city of San Diego household or business, but sand is not provided.
Sandbags are available to San Diego residents during recreation center open hours at:
- Council District 1 – Pacific Beach Recreation Center, 1405 Diamond St.;
- Council District 2 (inland) – North Clairemont Recreation Center, 4421 Bannock Ave.;
- Council District 2 (coastal) – Robb Field Athletic Area, 2525 Bacon St.;
- Council District 3 – Golden Hill Recreation Center, 2600 Golf Course Drive;
- Council District 4 – Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 6401 Skyline Drive;
- Council District 5 – Scripps Ranch Recreation Center, 11454 Blue Cypress Drive;
- Council District 6 – Standley Recreation Center, 3585 Governor Drive;
- Council District 7 – Allied Gardens Recreation Center, 5155 Greenbrier Ave.;
- Council District 8 – Silver Wing Recreation Center, 3737 Arey Drive;
- Council District 8 – Southcrest Recreation Center, 4149 Newton Ave.; and
- Council District 9 – City Heights Recreation Center, 4380 Landis St.
The city is also taking steps to fortify homeless shelters with sandbags and have contingency plans in place in the event of flooding.
