Local
San Francisco urges storm readiness as El Niño high tides approach
Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a local state of emergency Friday to help city departments prepare for El Niño-related severe weather. Officials urged residents to prepare for elevated water levels forecast Tuesday through Saturday and possible power outages.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie declared a local state of emergency Friday as the city prepares for El Niño-related storms, saying the measure would help officials “cut through red tape” as they coordinate preparations.
At a news conference at Pier 14, Lurie and other city officials urged residents to get ready for severe weather. They recommended picking up sandbags, checking flashlights and spare batteries, clearing leaves from storm drains, avoiding travel during storms and moving belongings out of basements or raising them off the floor.
Elevated water levels and high tides were forecast from Tuesday through Saturday, according to the city’s warning. The announcement came after a week of light rain and months of concern about a potentially dangerous rainy season. Small waves reached the sidewalk near Pier 14 during the news conference.
“We will continue preparing across city departments, and we need every San Franciscan to be ready for severe weather,” Lurie said.
The local declaration follows a statewide emergency declaration made more than a month earlier. City officials also cautioned residents to plan for possible power outages as the storm season develops.