Southern California floods forced a Tuesday closure of Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach after extreme high tides pushed water into coastal streets and neighborhoods. The road was shut between Warner Avenue and Seal Beach Boulevard as the tide peaked, and city crews kept watch for more flooding later in the day.
In Newport Beach, city spokesperson Georgia Rios said tidal levels hit a record 8.4 feet, the highest there since the 1920s. The water in Newport Harbor was hitting the 8-foot mark at 9 a.m., before the normal peak of 6.6 feet at about 9:45 a.m.
Newport Beach Bridge closure
The city of Newport Beach closed the waterway beneath the Newport Boulevard Bridge for a couple of hours on Tuesday as a precautionary measure to protect nearby properties from potential flooding caused by boat wakes during the morning high tide. Newport Beach parking enforcement was suspended through 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, giving drivers less reason to expect normal curbside control while water levels stayed elevated.
Water flooded through Newport Harbor Yacht Club’s boatyard on Tuesday morning, then quickly filled the streets at 8th and West Bay Avenue. The same tide that pushed into the harbor also moved into low spots near the bridge and along the waterfront.
Street flooding in Newport Beach
At the Pirate House at 35th Street and Marcus Avenue, the ground floor flooded on Tuesday morning. Nearby 36th Street and Marcus Avenue was underwater, about shin deep in the street, while residents moved through the area to check what the tide had left behind.
Sandy Gold, who was walking through the neighborhood to assess damage, stopped to look at the flooded Pirate House and said, “This house is a landmark; it’s famous” and “People come from everywhere just to see that house. I feel really bad for him. It went right through his house.”
That same mix of sandbags, pumps, and closures did not stop water everywhere. City crews and residents had tried to hold the line, but flooding still found its way in at several points along the coast.
Long Beach tides and closures
In Long Beach, Bayshore Beach saw high tides again on Tuesday, and the city closed off 54th Place along the beach area. On Naples Island, homeowners were dealing with flooding from water getting through cracks in the seawall along the canal, showing how the tide moved past one barrier after another.
Huntington Beach officials said Pacific Coast Highway will be closed again on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. between Warner Avenue and Anderson Street. High-tide advisories continue through Thursday, so drivers and coastal residents still face the same stretch of disruption while the water stays high.
