FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dan McCrain, Fire Chief
Phone: (805) 772-6242
Email: dmccrain@morrobayca.gov

March 8, 2023

MARCH STORM PREPAREDNESS

The City of Morro Bay is anticipating heavy rain and windy conditions from Thursday, March 9 through early Saturday, March 11 in what is being called another atmospheric river weather event.

Extended heavy rainfall can result in significant flooding in Morro Bay, as was experienced in January, due to the area’s topography, natural environment, and ocean tide impacts. The City of Morro Bay is preparing for this upcoming storm event, with a focus on protecting lives and limiting damage. The City’s emergency operations team will monitor conditions throughout the city and will respond to storm impacts in priority order as conditions change. 

Additional rainfall is also in the forecast for early next week. Given both storms on the horizon, community members should take steps to protect themselves and their property now. 

• Obtain Sandbags at your local hardware store and fill them with sand that the City has placed at the City Library parking lot off of Shasta Avenue and at Cloisters Park parking lot. 
• Prepare your property by cleaning gutters and drains, moving appliances and valuables to higher elevations, and placing sandbags on your property to prevent water from entering living spaces.  
• Gather emergency supplies, including non-perishable foods, flashlights, batteries, a manual can opener, a battery-operated radio, cleaning supplies, and water that can last for several days in case you are unable to leave due to flooding. 
• Make a Plan & know evacuation routes for your family. Step-by-step planning instructions are available at www.ready.gov/plan. 
• Find out if you have flood insurance, which is not usually part of a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. A separate flood insurance policy is required to cover damages incurred by flooding, and often requires a minimum of 30 days before becoming effective. 
• Stay tuned to the latest information by following the City of Morro Bay on Facebook, visiting the National Weather Service website, and signing up for City News on the Notify Me portion of the web site at https://www.morrobayca.gov/list.aspx.  
• Link to Storm Readiness Flyer  https://www.morrobayca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/17543/March-2023-Storm-Readiness-Flyer