Newport Beach Declares Flood Emergency

The city of Newport Beach declared a local emergency to prepare for coastal flooding before record-breaking tides arrived this week. The declaration came more than a week before the forecasted peak, allowing staff time to deploy across the area. Workers inspected infrastructure, reinforced beach berms, and installed sandbags and other protective equipment. The city also began providing free sandbags to residents and advised them to inspect vulnerable areas around their properties.

The National Weather Service warned that significant coastal flooding was expected in San Diego and Orange counties through Thursday. The agency predicted that the high water levels could close roads and inundate homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure. Further north, a wide stretch of the coast from San Luis Obispo County to Los Angeles County faced the risk of minor to moderate flooding. Tides in that northern region were forecast to reach as high as 8 feet.

In a statement, the NWS office in San Diego urged the public to avoid beaches during high tides. The agency instructed people to stay farther back from the ocean than usual because waves would run much farther up the beach. It also advised residents to stay off rock walls and jetties. The NWS emphasized that flood-prone property needed protection during the week.

Newport Beach city manager Seimone Jurjis attributed the elevated water levels to El Niño and the Kelvin wave. She stated that ocean water levels in the region had already been 15 to 22 inches higher than expected. Jurjis explained that this increase could determine whether water stayed below a seawall or spilled into streets, garages, and homes.

The region experienced extreme weather earlier this month, setting the stage for the current threat. Flooding overtook city streets, and large waves struck beachside homes. The remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel also left a trail of destruction in California. The storm damaged homes, destroyed a boardwalk, and forced residents to evacuate. With a historic El Niño unfolding in the Pacific, California faces the prospect of severe storms this winter.