Did you notice that it’s raining in Long Beach today? It’s true! I took video of the foggy downtown skyline from across the shores of the Los Angeles River today to prove it:

Of course, rain in Long Beach means several things. First of all, turn off your sprinklers until at least next week, as they’re not needed with such heavy rains – this is one of the many ways in which Long Beach residents have become so good about conserving water in these recent years of drought.

Second, rains such as these nearly always prompt warnings to stay clear of beaches for at least 72 hours because (#1) Long Beach waters are not very clean to begin with and (#2) rain stirs up tons of muck and debris that wash up on the city’s shores and beaches. City Health Officer Dr. Helene Calvet recently issued a warning to stay out of the water for most of this week. If you need a reminder of what Long Beach waters typically look like after rainstorms, check out this photo from last December:

Lastly, if you’re worried about flooding in your home or business, the City has sandbags that are available for you to pick up if necessary. To pick up sand at the following fire stations, you’ll need to bring a shovel and fill the bags yourself.

Station No. 7 2295 Elm Ave.
Station No. 12 6509 Gundry Ave.
Station No. 13 2475 Adriatic Ave.
Station No. 14 5200 Eliot St.

At these following fire stations, you can obtain up to ten bags with proper identification. Bags at these fire stations are free, but you can also buy them at some hardware stores:

Station No. 1 100 Magnolia Ave.
Station No. 2 1645 E. 3rd St.
Station No. 3 1222 Daisy Ave.
Station No. 4 411 Loma Ave.
Station No. 5 7575 E. Wardlow Rd.
Station No. 7 2295 Elm Ave.
Station No. 8 5365 E. 2nd St.
Station No. 9 3917 Long Beach Blvd.
Station No. 10 1417 Peterson Ave.
Station No. 11 160 E. Market St
Station No. 12 6509 Gundry Ave.
Station No. 13 2475 Adriatic Ave.
Station No. 14 5200 Eliot St.
Station No. 17 2241 Argonne Ave.
Station No. 18 3361 Palo Verde Ave.
Station No. 19 3559 Clark Ave.
Station No. 22 6340 Atherton St.

If you’re unable to fill your own bag, you can pick up already filled sandbags at the following locations:

Senior Center at El Dorado Park West, 2800 Studebaker Road
Long Beach Senior Center, 1150 E. 4th St.

Drive slowly and be safe out there!