Hurricane/Cyclone Hilary : San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld To Close Sunday | California State Parks Urges Public to Limit Outdoor Activities During Hurricane Hilary (Press Release) | Humane Society | Other Storm Stuff.

 So I'm sitting at Music Box while I sell merch and I'm checking email and watching socials roll in about the storm. It's like the two worlds. Half of downtown is raging like a regular Saturday night, and half of downtown has sand bags and boarded up windows and the City placed lines of sand bags and hay rolls around storm drains. It's super weird. I'm inside and have no idea what's actually happening outside, but I'm glad that we decided to fix the roof of our van and repaint it last year because otherwise it wouldn't be able to have handled the winter and spring storms, let alone what is expected from this one. Hopefully our studio can handle big rains and winds? Fingers crossed. I'm posting a lot on Instagram, kinda like I did with updates back in the day on this little site called Twitter before that sociopath took it over, but you should know that lots of events, particularly outdoor ones are being canceled or postponed. The San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and SeaWorld are all going to be closed. Weirdly, as of 9pm Saturday, America's Finest City Half Marathon & 5K are still happening. I guess I'll be cracking open a freshie of Bulleit and sleeping in on Sunday. So far, San Diego Unified is still preparing to be open on Monday for the 2023-2024 school year, but if you're a parent, you should make sure you're opted into their texts by sending "YES" to 67587. Hopefully you have water in case ours gets tainted...that's kinda my biggest fear about all of this is our aged infrastructure causing the damage: backed up storm drains, downed power lines, water main breaks, backed up sewage mixing with potable water. Gross. Hopefully the warnings are all overblown, but I'm glad I'm a prepper nonetheless. I mean, I'll find any excuse to already be wearing my Chooka rainboots, because, hey, that storm could hit by the time I'm getting out of this show around midnight. And if the roads are undrivable, I have enough shit in my van to sleep a few days. (Joking, not joking.)  At the very least, charge your phones in case power is interrupted. I don't trust SDG&E for shit. And let's all pray our wi-fi doesn't go down. 

Stay safe out there. 

San Diego Zoo & San Diego Zoo Safari Park

As Tropical Storm Hilary moves across the region, and out of an abundance of caution for our team members, wildlife, and guests—both the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park will be closed to visitors on Sunday, August 20, 2023.

Our wildlife care specialists and other essential teams across operations will remain on grounds. As special members of our San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance family we thank you for your continued support and look forward to welcoming you to the Zoo and Safari Park on Monday, August 21, 2023.

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SEAWORLD SAN DIEGO WILL BE CLOSED

SUNDAY, AUG. 20

Due to Hurricane Hilary, SeaWorld San Diego will be closed Sunday, Aug. 20. Please stay tuned to our social media channels and website for updates. If you have guest tickets you haven’t already redeemed with an expiration date of Sunday, August 20, those have now been extended through Aug. 27, 2023. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

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California State Parks Urges Public to
Limit Outdoor Activities During Hurricane Hilary

SACRAMENTO, Calif.— With Hurricane Hilary expected to impact several parts of California this weekend and early next week, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) is urging the public to limit outdoor recreation during the storm. Potential heavy rain, strong wind gusts, rip currents, storm surges, flash floods, etc., can be dangerous in coastal and inland parks. The public should expect temporary closures within the areas of the state that are in the path of the storm.  

Hurricane Hilary – currently a powerful Category 4 storm – is forecast to track into Southern California over the weekend and into early next week, bringing moderate to heavy showers, thunderstorms and possibly stronger winds to Southern California. Some parts of Southern California could receive a year’s worth of rain from this storm. The location and intensity of precipitation and winds will be variable as the hurricane approaches California.   

California is taking early, proactive steps to protect Californians from Hurricane Hilary. At the direction of Governor Gavin Newsom, the State Operations Center at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) is currently activated, and the state is closely monitoring incoming impacts from rain, wind and potential flash flooding and power outages. The State Operations Center is actively coordinating across state agencies to provide resources in preparation for potential impacts and to support response and recovery efforts. 

Within the State Park System, State Parks has closed three park units: Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area and Picacho State Recreation Area. Also, there is a high surf advisory for Southern California, meaning dangerous waters, new rip currents and other perilous surf conditions. The public is advised to stay out of the ocean this weekend. The department will continue to use a monitor and adapt strategy to protect the safety of its employees and the public. For the latest park closures, please visit parks.ca.gov/Incidents.  

For those with camping or tour reservations within the areas of the state that are in the path of the storm and who wish to cancel their reservations, refunds will be provided. Cancellations can be made via ReserveCalifornia’s Customer Service line at (800) 444-7275. Hours of operation are seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PDT.  

Individuals who choose to keep their reservations and/or explore the outdoors, below are some tips on how to recreate responsibly:    

• Check the Weather: For updates on Hurricane Hilary, visit weather.gov
• Know Before You Go: Before leaving home, visit the webpage of your outdoor destination to find out about any new restrictions, temporary closures or cancellations.
• Be Prepared: Make sure you have plenty of food and water and anticipate loss of power and/or other services. 
• Turn Around, Don’t Drown: Remain off roadways prone to flooding. Do not attempt to cross flooded roadways.
• Listen to Local Authorities: Evacuations and closures may occur for public safety purposes if weather conditions warrant. Always follow the guidance of your local authorities, including evacuation orders, road closures and other official notices. Sign up to receive local emergency alerts at calalert.org. For the latest road closure information, visit QuickMap.dot.ca.gov. 

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San Diego Humane Society

As Hurricane Hilary takes aim at our region, San Diego Humane Society is urging pet and livestock owners to be prepared. With heavy rain and wind expected, animals need to be kept dry and safe from the elements. In case severe weather leads to flooding, power outages and damage, it is essential to have an evacuation plan for all animals — big and small.

Below are some important tips to help keep all of your animals safe in the days ahead:

• Ensure your animals can stay dry. Pets should be kept inside and livestock should have a safe place to get cover from the wind and rain.
• Provide clean water and safe food. Ensure your animals have access to clean water and their food is protected from damage and contamination by wind, rain and debris.
• Prepare an emergency kit. Put all of your daily pet supplies in a water-proof container. Gather a two-week supply of food, water and your pet’s medications. Don’t forget shot records, bowls, crates, bedding and toys. Keeping your pet comfortable will reduce stress during an evacuation.
• Use identification. Make sure your pets are wearing identification at all times. This includes animals who don’t normally go outside. If you don’t have tags, simply write your phone number on their collar using permanent marker. Having your pet microchipped can also help identify them if they become lost. Make sure you keep your address and phone number up to date, in addition to listing an emergency contact outside of your immediate area.
• Plan ahead. Not all evacuation shelters accept pets, so it’s important to prepare. County of San Diego information sources such as ReadySanDiego.org and ListoSanDiego.org (español).
• Practice transporting your pet. Locate your pet’s carrier early, especially if they have been stored in a garage, and make sure your pet is comfortable using it. Identify where your pet hides when they are stressed or scared, in case you have to go looking for them.
• Plan for large animals. If you have large animals/livestock, have trailers or travel containers available for all of them. Create a plan for loading and unloading, and practice both if possible. Work with neighbors to identify locations where large animals can be brought on foot. In the event of an emergency evacuation, you may not have time or space to move all of your large animals, and people will not be allowed to re-enter mandatory evacuation areas even for their own animals.
• Leave early and take your pets. If you are evacuating your home, take your pets with you. Pets cannot fend for themselves during disasters and leaving them behind can risk both their lives and those of rescuers. Leave early and don’t wait for mandatory evacuation orders.
• Check your fence lines. Ensure fencing and gates haven’t been damaged by flooding and rain, potentially leading to escape routes for pets or other animals.

For animal emergencies in San Diego Humane Society’s jurisdiction, contact San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement at 619-299-7012 (press 1). To contact the San Diego County Department of Animal Services, call at 619-236-2341.

Please monitor National Hurricane Center forecasts for additional real-time updates on Hurricane Hilary.

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SDG&E

Here’s what you can do to be ready and stay safe:

• Have an emergency plan and talk with your household and loved ones about what you will do in the event of an unplanned outage.
• Have an emergency kit with important supplies, including non-perishable foods, water, a hand-crank or battery-operated radio, flashlight, and batteries. Learn more about storm safety here.
• Stay informed. Make sure your contact information is current in MyAccount and download the County of San Diego’s SD Emergency app.
• Secure loose items that have the potential to be picked up by winds, fly into powerlines and cause an outage, like patio furniture, umbrellas, tarps and garbage bins.
• Charge your mobile devices in advance.
• If you experience an outage, visit SDGE.com/outages for information about the cause, estimated restoration time and more.
• If you rely on electrically operated medical equipment for your health and safety, make sure you have made backup power arrangements in case of an unplanned outage.
• If you see a downed powerline, always assume it is energized, stay away and do not touch it or any other electrical equipment nearby. Call 911 or SDG&E at 1-800-411-7343 to report it.
• If you see crews working in your area, please be sure to slow down and give them space to work as safely and quickly as possible.
• If you have a backup generator, please do a safety check and make sure you have enough fuel to last several days. Generator safety tips can be found here.
• If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak, leave the area. From a safe location, call 911 or call us at 1-800-611-7343.

For more information, please visit sdgenews.com or follow us on social media