Just weeks after Hurricane Marie brought significant waves, flooding, and destruction to the Long Beach peninsula, residents are once again looking to the coast as another storm approaches. Hurricane Polo, which is expected to make landfall in Mexico over the weekend, is slated to send large waves north, directly impacting Southern California's ocean waters.
These waves, anticipated to reach up to 9 feet, combined with bimonthly high tides, could lead to further flooding, according to the National Weather Service in San Diego. The biggest impact from Hurricane Polo's swells is expected on Monday and Tuesday, giving Long Beach officials a few days to prepare.
In anticipation of the storm, Long Beach is stepping up its normal emergency preparedness measures, according to city spokesperson Laath Martin. Martin stated that the city is augmenting its actions for Hurricane Polo and preparing for "continuous impacts from a potentially historic El Niño" throughout the winter.
The city is also piloting a new initiative aimed at protecting the vulnerable peninsula. Crews are testing a program that uses large, heavy-duty sandbags to temporarily reinforce parts of the bulkhead along the peninsula, a strategy intended to reduce water and wave energy, Martin explained. This effort is in addition to ongoing work to reinforce vulnerable sections of the pedestrian boardwalk, a task that city crews had already undertaken before Hurricane Marie.
To assist residents, a sandbag distribution site will open at a parking lot located at 5400 E. Ocean Blvd. The site will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., beginning Friday and remaining open through the duration of the weather event.
In a move to streamline the city's ability to respond to potential emergencies, Long Beach City Manager Tom Modica declared a local emergency in the days leading up to Hurricane Polo. This declaration allows the city to use emergency powers throughout the upcoming winter storm season. The Long Beach City Council officially approved Modica's declaration on Tuesday.
The urgency in Long Beach's preparations stems from the recent memory of Hurricane Marie's impact. During that dramatic event, the Long Beach peninsula experienced significant flooding, leading to the evacuation of approximately 20 homes. Portions of the pedestrian boardwalk were also destroyed. City Manager Modica highlighted the extent of the damage to the Long Beach Post on Tuesday, noting that Marie stripped so much sand from a vulnerable stretch between 62nd and 69th places that "we can’t even get trucks down there to build out the berm."
The combination of a powerful hurricane, high tides, and a coastline still recovering from a previous storm presents a significant challenge for Long Beach residents and city services as they head into the weekend.
