San Diego Beaches Closed Due to Bacteria Concerns

Beaches in San Diego are currently closed, and health officials are advising against swimming due to high bacteria levels caused by recent storm waves.

Several shorelines throughout San Diego County were shut down over the weekend after heavy rains led to pollution runoff, as reported by local news outlets.

Authorities noted that the closure extends from Imperial Beach to Silver Strand and Coronado, with warnings posted—yellow signs alerting swimmers and surfers to stay out of the water.

Health officials typically issue alerts for about 72 hours following significant rainfall, as stormwater runoff can introduce bacterial contamination, debris, and other pollutants into the ocean.

Despite the health warnings and temperatures in the low 60s, many people still gathered at Coronado’s scenic beach on Saturday, encouraged by brief sunny spells amid cloudy skies.

A visitor, Katie Peterson, shared her family’s experience: “We planned to go to the beach just to look, but it felt a bit too cold to actually go in.”

Some surfers chose to ignore the warnings and paddled into the water, eager to seize the calm conditions after days of tumultuous weather. Others seemed more cautious about venturing out.

Another beachgoer, Lizzie Peterson, expressed her confusion: “I thought, ‘It’s a beach, but you can’t actually go in the water?'”

County officials continue to remind residents that swimming in contaminated waters could result in illness, urging them to heed the warnings seriously.

A general advisory is in place for all of San Diego County until Monday afternoon as lingering runoff remains a concern for water quality.

While the beach may appear inviting, officials caution that the ocean is not safe for swimming at this time.