Tijuana officials have placed the city on pre-alert status ahead of a forecasted storm system expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds from Wednesday, December 24, through Friday, December 26.
The decision was announced during a special meeting of the city’s civil protection authorities and puts emergency agencies on standby to respond quickly if conditions worsen.
City officials said the alert allows crews to activate preventive measures and concentrate resources in areas known to be vulnerable to flooding or landslides.
According to local civil protection officials, the storm is being driven by a weather system interacting with subtropical moisture and is expected to impact the region beginning Wednesday and continuing into early Thursday. The heaviest rainfall is forecast for Wednesday.
Forecasters predict one to two inches of rain across the city, with continuous precipitation, strong southerly winds of up to 50 kilometers per hour and gusts that could reach 60 kilometers per hour. Isolated thunderstorms are also possible. A second system could bring additional rainfall from late Thursday into Friday.
In preparation, city crews have carried out preventive cleanings of storm drains and sediment traps to improve drainage and reduce the risk of flooding.
Authorities urged residents to take precautions during the storm, including avoiding flooded streets and waterways, staying alert for downed power lines, and reporting emergencies by calling 9-1-1.
