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NewsLos Angeles TimesOctober 27, 2026Los Angeles County

Record-breaking El Niño tides and storm surges flood Newport Beach streets and homes

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Record-breaking high tides fueled by El Niño, a marine heat wave, and a full moon surged over seawalls in Newport Beach, flooding city streets, homes, and businesses and temporarily halting the Balboa Island Ferry. City officials and residents deployed sandbags, water pumps, and temporary barriers while preparing for potentially worse flooding later in the winter season.

FloodingClimate ChangeInfrastructureEmergency Response
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Why It Matters

Coastal residents and business owners face property damage, business disruptions, and threats to historic seawalls as sea levels rise 1.25 to 1.8 feet above normal levels due to ongoing weather patterns.

Key Facts

  • Newport Beach recorded an all-time high tide of 8.4 feet on Tuesday, surpassing predicted levels and flooding city streets and homes.
  • The Balboa Island Ferry suspended operations temporarily due to exceptionally high seawater levels.
  • A marine heat wave and an El Niño-fueled Kelvin wave contributed to raising seawater levels by 1.25 to 1.8 feet beyond normal lunar tides.
  • Other Southern California coastal communities, including Redondo Beach, Huntington Beach, and Long Beach, also experienced coastal flooding.
  • San Pedro recorded a preliminary high tide of 8.19 feet, breaking previous records.
  • City officials deployed water pumps and distributed black sandbags to help slow water flow and protect infrastructure.
  • Historic seawalls and bulkheads built in the early to mid-1900s are struggling to handle the rising tides.
  • Even higher tides are anticipated around upcoming holidays including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
  • Commercial and private properties experienced breaches where protective barriers were not adequately built.

Who's Mentioned

PersonButters“Henk Wiessner's 12-year-old Jack Russell terrier”locationNewport Beach“City hit particularly hard by record-breaking high tides”locationHuntington Beach“Coastal community experiencing flooding”locationMarine Stadium“Location in Long Beach affected by high tides”OrganizationFun Zone Boat“Charter boat company owned by Henk Wiessner”locationSouthern California“Region affected by high tides and warming waters”locationMarcus“Street near the Pirate House”locationBalboa Peninsula“Neighborhood in Newport Beach experiencing severe flooding”OrganizationBalboa Island Ferry“Ferry service that temporarily suspended operations due to high tides”PersonTim Hogan“37-year peninsula resident”OrganizationNational Weather Service“Reported preliminary high tide measurements”locationPublic Pier“Location near the end of the Balboa Peninsula where visitors gathered”locationInternational Boardwalk“Boardwalk in Redondo Beach where water rushed onto the area”locationRedondo Beach“Coastal community experiencing flooding”OrganizationPirate House“Famous house near Marcus and 35th streets inspected for flooding”locationSan Pedro“Location that toppled a preliminary high tide record”PersonMark Vukojevic“Newport Beach director of utilities”locationBalboa Island“Island connected by the ferry to the peninsula”PersonBill Sharp“Newport Beach resident of six decades living on the Balboa Peninsula”locationLong Beach“Coastal community experiencing flooding”PersonHenk Wiessner“Owner of Fun Zone Boat”PersonJoe Stapleton“Newport Beach Councilmember”