San Diego’s State of Emergency explained

What does this mean for locals and why are the emergencies issued after the storms have passed?

Parked cars on a rainy San Diego street by a traffic light. Water is rising in a bank next to the street.

We definitely needed our umbrellas this week.

Photo via @CityofSanDiego

Did you know? Monday’s storm lead to the fourth-wettest day recorded in San Diego’s history.

Many locals were impacted by storm damage and floods, leading to the city and county declaring states of emergency. After the storm had passed, Gov. Gavin Newsom also made an emergency announcement and the county ratified its declaration.

At the city and county levels, the declarations serve as warnings to locals and inform them of resources. They’re also required in order to request state and federal funding — Mayor Todd Gloria specifically asked for funds from the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA).

Newsom’s State of Emergency granted CDAA funding to San Diego County. It also provides other assistance, like unemployment benefits for storm-related job losses and waiving replacement fees for legal documents.

As San Diego County assesses the financial impact of the storm, it’s asking residents and business owners to take a voluntary damage survey.

More from SDtoday
These city gifts are way better than a Jelly of the Month Club membership.
December Nights, the OB Christmas tree, holiday lights, and ice skating? We’d watch the heck out of this fictional, AI-generated holiday movie set in America’s Finest City.
The iconic, highly-photographed structure closed in January 2022 for a $26.45 million renovation project, but reopened to the public in December 2024.
The biggest step in completing your New Year’s resolution? Show up.
We hope our SAN guide makes your traveling process plane and simple.
The 54-year tradition returns to downtown San Diego’s waterfront on Sunday, Dec. 8 + Sunday, Dec. 15.
We’ve mapped out 12 jolly, local displays that truly dazzle.
We’ve rounded up fun, festive places to drink and be merry.
Prepare for winter in SD with these seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks.
San Diego is made up of so many wonderful small businesses, here are a few our readers love in honor of Small Business Saturday.