Overview
- The National Weather Service has issued coastal flood warnings and advisories for Southern California and the Bay Area and says San Diego and Los Angeles are more likely than not to reach their highest recorded tides with a midweek peak expected on Tuesday.
- Forecasters point to a mix of warmer sea-surface temperatures, El Niño-driven Kelvin-wave effects and the timing of the Hunter's Moon as the forces lifting baseline water levels and increasing morning high-tide risk.
- Coastal cities are racing to deploy temporary defenses including sand berms, tens of thousands of cubic yards of sand moves, an $11 million dredging project in Long Beach, pumps and sandbags while some damaged buildings have been red-tagged or evacuated.
- Officials warn roads, low-lying homes and businesses could flood and beaches could suffer severe erosion and Metrolink will suspend Orange County Line service between Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside from Monday through Friday to reduce rail disruptions.
- Local leaders stress these fixes are short term because repeated storm damage and long-term sea-level rise mean sustained beach replenishment, engineered defenses or managed retreat may be needed if high baseline levels continue.