California Coastline Submerged by Monster Tides, Flooding Streets and Shutting Down Highway

Monster tides flooded Southern California’s coastline on Tuesday, submerging waterfront neighborhoods and forcing the closure of sections of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). The coastal flooding is expected to persist through Thursday, with forecasters warning of unusually high morning tides that could bring further inundation to vulnerable beach communities.

In Orange County, flooding led to the closure of both directions of PCH between Warner Avenue and Seal Beach Boulevard. Northbound lanes were also impacted between Seapoint Street and Warner Avenue. As water continued to flow onto the roadway even after the tide began to recede, PCH was ultimately shut down in both directions between Seal Beach and Huntington Beach.

Newport Beach braced for the rising water, with officials activating pumps and constructing sand berms to protect low-lying areas, particularly along the Balboa Peninsula. The waterway beneath the Newport Boulevard Bridge was temporarily closed on Tuesday morning to prevent boat wakes from exacerbating flooding in nearby properties. The tide reached a record 8.4 feet at 10 a.m., according to forecasters.

Boaters in Newport Harbor were advised to proceed with caution near waterfront areas. The waterway beneath the bridge is scheduled for another closure on Wednesday morning.

The flooding occurs as tides along the Southland coast are approaching historic levels. A tide gauge in San Pedro recorded 8.02 feet on Monday, surpassing the previous record of 7.93 feet set in January 2005. Records at this gauge date back to November 1923, and tides are expected to remain near record levels through Wednesday.

Newport Beach has suspended parking enforcement through Wednesday evening to allow residents to move vehicles from flood-prone zones. A coastal flood warning remains in effect for the Orange County coastline until 1 p.m. Thursday, while a coastal flood advisory is in place for the Los Angeles County coastline through the same time. Tides in Orange County are running approximately 1 to 1.7 feet above astronomical predictions, and about 1 to 1.5 feet above predictions along the LA County coast.

The National Weather Service warned that more significant flooding and damage are possible in areas with limited sandy beaches or those previously affected by high tides.

Rail service has also been impacted, with Metrolink's Orange County Line suspended between Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside on Monday. Trains are scheduled to originate and terminate at Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo through Friday.

Away from the coast, Los Angeles and Orange counties are forecast to experience dry, mild weather through at least Friday, with gradually cooling temperatures and increasing clouds. There is a possibility of rain over the weekend, though current projections indicate a weaker storm system. Forecasters suggest a high chance of rain from Saturday into Sunday, with amounts expected to be under an inch for most areas, potentially reaching around an inch in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains. A brief shower on Friday has a 15% to 25% chance of occurring.