Southern California’s coastlines saw exceptionally high tides Monday, leading to street flooding in Newport Beach and setting an all-time record at the San Pedro tide gauge. Forecasters are now warning that even higher tides are expected Tuesday, raising concerns for residents along the Los Angeles and Orange County coastlines.
The San Pedro tide gauge recorded a preliminary reading of 8.02 feet Monday morning. This broke the previous record of 7.93 feet, which was set back on January 10, 2005. Records for that particular gauge date all the way back to November 1923, according to the National Weather Service, which indicated that slightly higher tides remain possible for the area on Tuesday.
Down in Orange County, Newport Beach experienced a high tide of 8.3 feet on Monday. This sent ocean water into streets in various low-lying sections of the city. The Newport Beach Police Department has forecast an even higher tide of 8.5 feet for Tuesday.
To combat the incoming waters, city officials in Newport Beach activated water pumps and put sand berms in place to protect vulnerable neighborhoods, particularly those situated along the Balboa Peninsula. Newport Beach spokeswoman Georgia Rios noted that over 25,000 sandbags were distributed since the weekend, and she attributed residents' use of these sandbags to minimizing property damage. She also confirmed that teams were out with equipment, pumping water out quickly from affected areas like Balboa Island and the peninsula.
The Newport Beach Police Department urged residents in low-lying or waterfront areas to take precautions, advising the use of sandbags or temporary flood barriers and moving vehicles to higher ground if necessary. As a courtesy, parking enforcement in Newport Beach has been suspended through Wednesday evening to allow residents ample time to relocate their vehicles away from flood-prone zones. Orange County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Katrina Foley praised Newport Beach city officials for their preparatory work and confirmed additional sandbags were being provided for Laguna Hills at the city's request.
A coastal flood warning is in effect for the entire Orange County coastline until 1 p.m. Thursday. Meanwhile, a coastal flood advisory covering the Los Angeles County coastline also remains in effect until 1 p.m. Thursday. Forecasters explained that the tides are currently running about 1 to 1.7 feet above astronomical predictions in Orange County, and roughly 1 to 1.5 feet above predictions along the Los Angeles County coastline.
Minor coastal flooding is expected in other vulnerable low-lying areas across the region, including harbor walkways, beach parking lots, bike paths, and normally sandy beaches. Locations with little to no remaining sandy beach or those that have already experienced problems from previous high tides could see more significant flooding and potential damage.
The anticipated high tides have also impacted rail travel along the Orange County coastline. Metrolink Orange County Line service was suspended on Monday between the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside stations. Trains will continue to originate and terminate at Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo through Friday.
Newport Beach spokeswoman Georgia Rios indicated that after another high tide Wednesday morning, the tides are expected to begin returning to normal. However, officials are also anticipating elevated tides around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
Away from the immediate coastal concerns, dry weather continued across Los Angeles and Orange counties on Monday, with temperatures generally a few degrees below normal for this time of year. Additional cooling is expected for Tuesday, bringing highs into the 70s across most coastal and valley areas. A more extensive marine layer is forecast for Wednesday, which should bring morning clouds to coastal areas and many valleys, with some beaches possibly remaining cloudy throughout the entire day.
Looking further ahead, the National Weather Service has indicated that a potentially moderate to strong storm system could bring rain to Southern California over the upcoming Halloween weekend. There is a 10% to 20% chance of brief, light showers on Friday, with high confidence that rain will fall during the weekend, though its precise timing and intensity remain uncertain. Current projections suggest around 1 inch of rain for most areas south of Point Conception, including Los Angeles County, with higher amounts possible in foothill and coastal slope areas. Forecasters suggest there is a 20% to 30% chance that rainfall totals could reach twice those amounts. High temperatures are expected to remain in the mid- to upper 60s through the weekend, with a 50% to 60% chance of above-normal precipitation continuing into the following week.
