Newport Beach tide hits record 8.4 feet

Tidal levels in Newport Harbor reached 8.4 feet Tuesday morning, a measurement city spokesperson Georgia Rios identified as a record for the area. The previous high for the location dates back to the 1920s. This extreme surge, part of a string of mega high tides expected to continue through Thursday, overwhelmed defenses in several coastal communities. The water level was nearly two feet higher than tidal forecasts had predicted, pushing seawater over seawalls and into streets.

Pacific Coast Highway closed between Warner Avenue and Seal Beach Boulevard on Tuesday morning. The city initially shut the road Monday to allow crews to work, but the closure expanded as water poured in during the Tuesday morning peak. In Long Beach, crews closed 54th Place near Bayshore Beach while they built sand berms. Water also flooded streets around Huntington Harbor, covering sidewalks and parking lots near the Marine Stadium area.

Newport Beach officials closed the waterway beneath the Newport Boulevard Bridge for several hours to protect nearby properties from boat wakes. The city suspended parking enforcement until 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, allowing residents to move vehicles to higher ground. At the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, water filled the boatyard and the streets at 8th and West Bay Avenue. Pumps at 9th Street and West Bay Avenue worked to move pooled water back into the bay.

Local landmarks sustained damage as the tide peaked around 9:45 a.m. The Pirate House at 35th Street and Marcus Avenue, known for its eclectic outdoor decorations, flooded throughout the ground floor. Sandy Gold, a resident assessing the damage, noted that the house is a famous landmark. “It went right through his house,” Gold said. At J King Neptunes in Sunset Beach, owner Sal Alvarez reported ankle-deep water in the parking lot. He placed two dozen sandbags against the front door and wall to prevent further entry. Alvarez plans to open the restaurant at 3 p.m. despite the water seepage.

Residents and city officials are evaluating the effectiveness of their preparations. Newport Beach Utilities Director Mark Vukojevic described the situation as solving a puzzle to identify vulnerable low-lying areas. “Every inch makes a difference,” Vukojevic said. He noted that the water levels were abnormal compared to past El Niño years. “We call it the overage,” he said, referring to the unexpected height of the tides. In San Pedro, officials measured an all-time record of 8.02 feet on Monday, breaking a record set in 2005.

Emmett Comrecode, a Newport Beach resident since 1969, found his home soaked despite stacking sandbags. “My pump couldn’t keep up because it got so high,” Comrecode said. In Long Beach, Russ Boudreau, a lifelong resident, observed the flooding at Bayshore Beach on his bicycle. He stated that while he has experienced strong El Niño years, this event was more intense. “I think there’s a lot of challenges ahead,” Boudreau said, praising the city’s efforts to dredge sand and protect the beach at the Peninsula.

Other coastal cities reported mixed conditions. San Clemente City Manager Andy Hall said crews are monitoring a couple of locations but that no major issues arose on Tuesday morning. In Laguna Beach, Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond reported calm conditions with very little surf. Dana Point Mayor John Gabbard inspected Beach Road and found water percolating through a recently installed retaining wall. He noted that Baby Beach in Dana Point Harbor was flooded to the sea wall, a typical occurrence during extreme tides. Gabbard is now watching for a rain event predicted for Halloween, which could compound the flooding risks.

City crews in Newport Beach moved sand with front loaders at the Newport Pier to build up berms. The lack of heavy surf helped keep the ocean calm, preventing additional wave action from worsening the flood. Vukojevic said the city responded to emergency floods on private properties but could not proactively sandbag all homes. “It finds weak links,” he said. The peak of the week's tides has passed, but advisories remain in effect through Thursday as coastal communities continue to pump out water and assess structural damage.