Newport Beach Braces for Record Tides

Newport Beach declared a local emergency on Monday to prepare for flooding expected later this week. The city is deploying staff to inspect infrastructure, reinforce beach berms, and install sandbags. Officials aim to protect property and critical systems before tides peak on Thursday.

The National Weather Service warns that coastal flooding in Orange County and San Diego County will be severe enough to close roads and inundate homes and businesses. North of the region, from Los Angeles County to San Luis Obispo County, tides are predicted to reach 8 feet. This height could cause minor to moderate flooding along that stretch of coast.

City manager Seimone Jurjis attributed the rising water levels to El Niño and a Kelvin wave. She stated that ocean water in the region is currently 15 to 22 inches higher than expected. Jurjis noted that this extra volume can mean the difference between water staying below a seawall and water spilling into streets and garages.

“A foot and a half may not sound like much, but in a coastal community like ours, it can mean the difference between water staying below a seawall and water spilling into streets, garages and homes, especially during some of the highest tides of the year,” Jurjis said in a statement.

Newport Beach is distributing free sandbags to residents. The city advised homeowners to inspect vulnerable areas around their properties. The National Weather Service office in San Diego told the public to stay farther back from the ocean than usual during high tides. Waves are expected to run much farther up the beach than normal, and officials urged people to stay off rock walls and jetties.

This event follows a month of extreme weather in the region. The remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel left a trail of destruction in California, damaging homes and destroying a boardwalk. Flooding overtook city streets, and large waves struck beachside properties. Residents in affected areas were forced to evacuate during that earlier system.

The current conditions mark a continuation of a historic El Niño pattern in the Pacific. Forecasts indicate that California will face severe storms this winter as the weather system unfolds.