Newport Beach flooding turned streets on the Balboa Peninsula into shallow canals on Friday, October 9, 2026, after a tropical swell and unusually high tides pushed the ocean past the sand berms that normally hold it back. The city declared a local emergency, and officials warn the worst may still be ahead as Tropical Storm Rachel moves toward Southern California this weekend.
No injuries have been reported, but homes were damaged in Newport Beach and nearby Long Beach, and city crews spent the day pumping water, rebuilding berms and handing out sandbags.
Newport Beach Flooding Today: What Happened
The flooding began late Thursday and peaked with Friday morning’s high tide. At the Wedge, the famous surf spot at the tip of the peninsula, waves broke through 20-foot sand berms. Water then spread across the Balboa Peninsula, washing out roads from roughly 21st Street down to 6th Street, according to the Los Angeles Times report published by The Spokesman-Review. Some streets held at least a foot of water at high tide. Police asked residents and drivers to stay out of the area, and officials were still counting how many homes had been damaged. City Manager Seimone Jurjis, acting as director of digital services, declared a local emergency so the city could access more resources to protect public and private property, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported.Why the Flooding in Newport Beach Was Worse Than Forecast
The most striking part of this event is how far reality outran the forecast. Tide tables are built on predictable forces like the moon and sun. They do not account for warmer-than-normal ocean water or the extra push of a tropical swell, and this week both were in play.-
- Tides far above prediction: Around 9 a.m. Friday, the high tide ran 17 inches above the official prediction in San Diego and La Jolla, 16 inches above in Santa Monica and 14 inches above in San Francisco.
-
- A record for Newport: Utilities Director Mark Vukojevic told ABC7 the morning tide came in 20 inches above prediction, compared with a more typical 12 inches, calling it “record-breaking” for the city.
-
- A swell twice the size expected: The swell from Rachel was about double its forecast height, and El Niño conditions added to the elevated ocean levels.
Why the Balboa Peninsula Floods First
The Balboa Peninsula is a narrow, low-lying strip of land with the open Pacific on one side and Newport Harbor on the other. That leaves it exposed from two directions: waves can overtop the beach, while high harbor water can push back up through storm drains. To manage this, Newport Beach relies on 86 tidal valves that stop ocean water from backing up through the drainage system and 18 pumps that remove standing water near the harbor. On Friday, six city crews worked to rebuild sand berms while other teams ran pumps and opened tide valves. Besides the peninsula, the city lists Balboa Island, Newport Island and other low-lying harborfront neighborhoods as the most vulnerable areas.Other Southern California Beaches Hit
Flooding in Newport was part of a wider pattern along the coast:-
- Long Beach: Waves broke up sections of the boardwalk on the Long Beach Peninsula and caused severe structural damage to several homes. Two properties, including a three-unit building, were red-tagged, and more than 7,500 sandbags had been handed out.
-
- Laguna Beach: Waves and high tide covered Coast Highway and Broadway, and sandy areas of Main Beach went underwater.
-
- Huntington Beach: High surf caused localized street flooding in flood-prone Sunset Beach. No property damage was reported, and the city activated its Emergency Operations Center.
What Comes Next: Weekend Forecast
The coming days could bring more Newport Beach flooding. Here is what forecasters expect:-
- Highest tides Sunday morning, October 11: 6.5 to 7 feet during the morning and evening high tide periods.
-
- More south swell Sunday through Tuesday: surf of 3 to 5 feet with occasional 6-foot sets and dangerous rip currents.
-
- Rain and wind from Rachel: If the current track holds, the main impacts reach San Diego County on Sunday morning, with widespread rain and coastal flooding forecast for Orange and Los Angeles counties.
-
- Advisory in effect: The National Weather Service coastal flood advisory runs until 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 13.
Safety Tips and Where to Get Sandbags
-
- Free prefilled sandbags: City Corporation Yard on Superior Avenue.
-
- Empty sandbags: fire stations and lifeguard stations on the Balboa Peninsula.
-
- Avoid the Balboa Peninsula and never walk or drive through standing water.
-
- Move vehicles away from low-lying streets and clear gutters when it is safe.
-
- Stay off jetties and out of the water during high surf.
-
- Sign up for emergency alerts at NBPD.org and expect temporary street closures or parking restrictions.
The Bigger Picture
This week’s flooding in Newport Beach shows a growing gap between official tide predictions and what actually reaches the shore when warm water and tropical swells combine. For coastal cities that plan berms, pumps and road closures around those predictions, a 20-inch miss is the difference between a wet parking lot and flooded homes. With a third storm in weeks hitting Southern California’s coast, the question is no longer whether these events happen, but how quickly cities can adapt. This is a developing story and will be updated as Tropical Storm Rachel approaches.Sources
