Rain is reaching the border this long weekend, and the two levels of civil protection don’t describe it the same way. Baja California’s state civil protection office (CEPC), citing Mexico’s national weather service (SMN), called Friday, Nov. 13, the day of greatest impact for the state, with intermittent rain through the day in Tijuana, Playas de Rosarito and Tecate and the heaviest rain farther south, in Ensenada and San QuintÃn. For Saturday, it forecast showers with locally heavy rain in Tijuana, Tecate, Rosarito, Ensenada and San QuintÃn, according to its Thursday bulletin as published by Punto Norte.
The state also warned of gusts of up to 60 km/h in parts of Baja California and waves of up to 5 meters on the Pacific coast, up from the 4 meters in the alert NDT Noticias de Tijuana reported on Wednesday. Heavy rain could come with thunderstorms and hail, and strong wind could bring down trees and billboards, the state said.
Tijuana’s own civil protection director, Sergio Armando Pérez Ibarra, sounded calmer on Wednesday: he expected scattered, light showers, perhaps with an occasional gust, and said heavy rain wasn’t expected, San Diego Red reported. The city is preparing for El Niño anyway: a census of 3,658 homes in risk zones across the nine boroughs was set to start Thursday, carried out by staff who carry identification and visit only the areas already identified as at risk, Tijuana Última Hora reported. In its story on the city’s El Niño preparations, San Diego Red said the heavier rains are expected between late November and early December.
What it means if you’re visiting
- Keep away from the shore while the surf is high, including the beach at Playas de Tijuana and Rosarito’s beaches; the state asks people to stay away from the coast.
- Don’t drive or walk through flooded streets or arroyos, and allow extra time on the roads.
- In strong wind, keep clear of trees, poles, power lines and billboards.
- Plan B: our rainy-day guide, and the long weekend’s lineup in this weekend in Tijuana.
- In an emergency in Tijuana, call 911.
Thursday’s update, with the city’s flood-risk points, is here. More plans are on the calendar.
Sources and review
Reviewed · 2026-11-13. Original announcement · 2026-11-12.
- Punto Norte — Advierte Protección Civil pronóstico de lluvias fuertes para mañana: state civil protection (CEPC) bulletin citing the SMN; Friday, Nov. 13, the day of greatest impact, with intermittent rain in Tijuana, Playas de Rosarito and Tecate and heavy rain in Ensenada and San QuintÃn; Saturday showers with locally heavy rain in Tijuana, Tecate, Rosarito, Ensenada and San QuintÃn; gusts up to 60 km/h; waves up to 5 m on the western coast; thunderstorms and hail possible; recommendations (Nov. 12, 2026)
- NDT Noticias de Tijuana — Gobierno de BC alerta por lluvias desde el jueves, rachas de 60 km/h y oleaje de 4 metros: state alert; rain from Thursday night into Friday; Friday the day of greatest impact; waves up to 4 m on the western coast (Oscar MartÃnez, Nov. 11, 2026)
- San Diego Red — "No se esperan lluvias fuertes" asegura Protección Civil Tijuana ante pronósticos de este fin de semana: municipal civil protection director Sergio Armando Pérez Ibarra expects scattered light showers, possibly with an occasional gust, and no heavy rain; the story on the city's El Niño preparations says the heavier rains are expected between late November and early December (Sonia Zavala, Nov. 11, 2026)
- Tijuana Última Hora — Anuncia Ismael Burgueño realización de Censo Preventivo de Viviendas en Zonas de Riesgo: census of 3,658 homes in risk zones across the nine boroughs, set to start Thursday; staff carry identification and visit only identified risk areas (Merari M. Mtz, Nov. 12, 2026)