California Braces for More Flooding as Record Tides Continue
WHO:
Los Angeles Times - Devin Black, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office, said coastal flooding was affecting Southern California and that some structures had shallow water up to their bases.
Los Angeles Times - Ryan Kittell, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard, reported record high tides in Santa Barbara and said tides were expected to drop.
Los Angeles Times - Mark Merrifield, director of UC San Diego’s Center for Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation, had warned that the El Niño event could produce “likely the highest sea levels ever recorded on the California coast.”
The Guardian - Climate scientist Daniel Swain said current water levels could be followed by more disruptive conditions, and that levels could be exceeded multiple times during winter.
The Guardian - The National Weather Service warned that high tides could inundate roads, homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.
Phys.org - Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has used technology for more than 30 years to gather real-time oceanographic and biological data.
WHAT:
Los Angeles Times - The National Weather Service extended coastal flood advisories for all Southern California coastal counties through 2 p.m. Friday; the advisories had been scheduled to expire Thursday at 1 p.m. Orange and San Diego counties’ flood warnings were downgraded to coastal advisories through Friday afternoon.
Los Angeles Times - Flooding affected Newport Beach, Long Beach and Sunset Beach. Several Sunset Beach streets were flooded, and Pacific Coast Highway was closed; Caltrans planned another partial closure Thursday.
Los Angeles Times - San Pedro’s tide gauge reached a record 8.19 feet; Santa Barbara reached 8.04 feet; La Jolla reached 7.98 feet, exceeding its 7.83-foot record; and San Diego reached 8.52 feet, exceeding its previous 8.26-foot record.
The Guardian - Record-breaking tides flooded streets, homes and businesses from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay Area, disrupted transportation and train routes, and prompted rescues of drivers from floating cars in Marin County. Kayakers and paddleboarders traveled through flooded streets.
The Guardian - San Francisco recorded its highest October tide reading; tides near Los Angeles and San Diego exceeded 8 feet. Los Angeles had recorded 12 coastal-flood days in 2026, more than any year in the preceding 50 years, according to NOAA.
The Guardian - NOAA’s outlook gave San Diego, La Jolla, Los Angeles and Santa Monica more than an 80% chance of high-tide flooding in December; coastal stations farther north were in the 60–80% category.
Phys.org - MBARI’s long-running Monterey Bay observations support monitoring the impacts of an incoming El Niño, predicted to be among the strongest since modern oceanography began.
WHERE:
Los Angeles Times - Flooding affected Newport Beach, Long Beach, Sunset Beach, San Pedro, Santa Barbara, La Jolla and San Diego.
The Guardian - Flooding was reported from San Diego through the San Francisco Bay Area, including Marin County and Newport Beach.
Phys.org - MBARI collects data in Monterey Bay and Monterey Canyon.
WHEN:
Los Angeles Times - Tides were forecast to approach 8 feet Thursday morning and gradually subside into the weekend.
The Guardian - King tides were expected around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and around 20-23 January next year.
The Guardian - Significant coastal flooding in San Diego and Orange counties was forecast during high tides through Thursday; moderate flood risks in Los Angeles extended into the weekend.
WHY:
Los Angeles Times - El Niño conditions, a marine heat wave and a Kelvin wave bringing warm equatorial Pacific water northward contributed to unusually high coastal water levels. The marine heat wave raised sea levels by an estimated 1.25 to 1.8 feet beyond tidal movement.
The Guardian - Thermal expansion from an ocean heat wave, higher sea levels linked to human-caused climate change, El Niño and a coastally trapped Kelvin wave contributed to rising water levels.
HOW:
Los Angeles Times - Swell angle and magnitude affected flooding risk; San Diego and Orange counties were more exposed to a southwesterly swell.
The Guardian - King tides could add 1 to 2 feet to already elevated levels; if high tides, warming and ocean conditions aligned, water could reach up to 5 feet above average.
(UPDATED October 30, 2026 14:01 UTC)
Record-breaking tides flooded Southern California streets, homes and businesses, disrupting transportation. Coastal flood advisories remain in effect, and winter tides could bring further flooding. El Niño, ocean heat and climate change are raising coastal water levels.