Huntington Harbour faces more flooding as high tides return Tuesday

The City of Huntington Beach is preparing for another round of coastal flooding on Tuesday, October 27. Unusually high tides have already inundated streets in parts of the city, threatening homes and businesses along the shoreline.

Huntington Harbour remains the most vulnerable area. Many residences and walkways sit directly next to channels connected to the ocean. As the tide rises, water levels increase throughout the harbour. This can push water over low-lying waterfront edges onto nearby streets and sidewalks.

Video captured on Monday showed a man kayaking down a flooded roadway in a residential neighborhood. City crews worked to pump water off streets along Bayview Drive. Officials in Newport Beach also reported flooding in their coastal communities.

Partial road closures were in effect as of 10 a.m. Tuesday along Pacific Coast Highway between Warner Avenue and Anderson Street in the Sunset Beach area. The city announced a planned closure window from 8 a.m. until noon due to expected high tides. Motorists are warned to expect full closures during peak high tide periods when water threatens to flood the roadway.

AAA issued a warning for drivers to avoid attempting to drive through flooded roadways. Standing water can hide dangerous road conditions. It can also cause damage to vehicle engines and electrical systems. Drivers were urged to avoid barricaded areas, use alternate routes, and allow extra travel time.

It is unclear how much additional flooding Huntington Harbour and surrounding coastal communities will experience as the high tides move through Southern California. Officials also did not specify how long traffic disruptions along Pacific Coast Highway will continue. They noted that closures are common during high king tide events.

This report is based on city public safety updates, local road closure advisories, public works pump operations, and driver safety warnings issued by the American Automobile Association.