{"id":474921,"date":"2026-09-25T03:58:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T03:58:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/474921\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T03:58:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T03:58:21","slug":"hurricane-polo-high-tides-and-kelvin-wave-bring-worry-to-the-coast-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/474921\/","title":{"rendered":"Hurricane Polo, high tides and Kelvin wave bring worry to the coast \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"

Forecasters are keeping careful watch on yet another hurricane building off Mexico\u2019s coast that could spell trouble for Southern California\u2019s coastline early next week.<\/p>\n

If the direction of Hurricane Polo, called one of the most powerful Pacific cyclones in decades,<\/a> holds, then it is expected to send big waves to our region as early as Sunday, Sept. 27, with the biggest waves expected on Monday. It would be coinciding with extreme high tides near 6 feet that would push waves even higher, up to a foot, experts said.<\/p>\n

And add in a Kelvin wave \u2014 a warm-water anomaly expected to show up any time now \u2014 and even higher water levels could mean greater concern for the area\u2019s already struggling coastline.<\/p>\n

\"Several<\/p>\n

Several homes are yellow-tagged at Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after high tides and erosion compromised a seawall. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Waves<\/p>\n

Waves crash near homes at Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach on Thursday, September 24, 2026. Several homes nearby were yellow-tagged after a seawall was compromised by high tides and erosion. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"Several<\/p>\n

Several homes are yellow-tagged at Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after high tides and erosion compromised a seawall. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 3<\/p>\n

Several homes are yellow-tagged at Victoria Beach in Laguna Beach on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after high tides and erosion compromised a seawall. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a>
\nAnother hurricane<\/p>\n

If Hurricane Polo system shifts 100 miles to the east or west, it could mean the difference between big surf or no surf at all.<\/p>\n

Surfline.com<\/a> forecaster Kevin Wallis called it a \u201ctricky track\u201d forecast, with the most likely outcome an extreme-angled southeast swell early next week, building Sunday and the largest day on Monday.<\/p>\n

Hurricane Polo was swirling about 195 miles west-southwest of the central Mexico coast early Thursday and weather forecasters expected it to move out further over the ocean before making a turn on Saturday toward the coast. And it isn\u2019t expected to lose its hurricane strength over the next few days.<\/p>\n

But it is unlikely to be as big, or long lasting, as Hurricane Marie earlier this month, he said. And, current forecasts are not expecting rain to reach the region.<\/p>\n

Overall, the likeliest place for potential beach flooding or further coastal erosion, during high tides, is north Orange County, though it is worth monitoring south Orange County areas as well, he said.<\/p>\n

Forecasts show waves ramping up into the 4- to 5-foot range on Sunday and up to 5 to 7 feet in north Orange County, with some 10-foot sets, by Monday.\u00a0 At the Wedge in Newport Beach on Monday,\u00a0 sets up to 12 feet are expected \u2014 the Wedge is one of the trouble areas that has suffered severe erosion<\/a> since strong southerly swells started pummeling the region early this season.<\/p>\n

Huntington Beach shows surf in the 8- to 10-foot range on Monday, down to 3 to 4 feet on Tuesday. Manhattan Beach, a south-facing beach in the South Bay, shows 4- to 5-foot waves on Monday, down to 2 or 3 feet by Tuesday.<\/p>\n

With the extreme south-east direction of the storm, southern Orange County beaches should get a bit of a reprieve and see waves up to about 75% of those sizes, Wallis noted.<\/p>\n

High tide on Monday should reach about a 6-foot tide at 10:15 a.m.; about the same at about 11:15 a.m. the following day.<\/p>\n

Hurricane Polo has already caused flooding and severe storms in Mexico, but the tropical system isn\u2019t expected to move directly into our area, said National Weather Service meteorologist Sam Zuber.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only impacts we may see is erosion and coastal flooding with the swell, mixed with our typical high tides early next week,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going swimming, be prepared for excess rip currents and elevated surf,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you\u2019re not a good swimmer, it may not be a good time to get into the water late this weekend and early next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ahead of Hurricane Polo, Hurricane Odalys, out in the eastern Pacific Ocean, is also expected to elevate surf heading into the weekend, with mid-range waves in the 3- to 5-foot range forecast at south-facing beaches.<\/p>\n

Kelvin wave here<\/p>\n

A Kelvin wave has caught the media\u2019s attention, peppering headlines for the last several weeks. But they are actually something that happens all the time, said Andrew Leising, a research oceanographer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can expect the sea level will be higher than it usually is,\u201d said Leising, noting that small Kelvin pulses have already arrived along the Southern California coast. \u201cThey always happen; it just depends on what else is going on whether we pay attention or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelvin waves aren\u2019t so much a wave, but more of an underwater pulse traveling about 6 mph that happens when warm water sits on the ocean\u2019s surface, causing the water to thicken.<\/p>\n

Kelvin waves travel deep in the ocean along interfaces between surface warm water and deeper cold water. The ocean energy works its way around the equator and then up the coast toward Southern California, Leising said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s probably just reaching us now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not physically moving warm water up the coast, he explained. It\u2019s like a whip crack that makes the ocean\u2019s warm surface thicker.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs that whip-cracking wave works its way up the coast, it\u2019s thickening the top layer that is warm. That lets the whole surface area be warmer,\u201d he said. \u201cWe can see it from a satellite; it looks like it\u2019s moving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether it will cause damage depends on the force of the swells, and how high tides are \u2014 and if it is indeed arriving now, it will coincide with the 6-foot tides and Hurricane swell already churning up the ocean\u2019s force.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorst case? It will be even worse, you\u2019ll get more (impact),\u201d he said of the erosion troubles and damage plaguing the region from the last hurricane remnants to sweep along the coast.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Kelvin wave coming \u2014 this is the big one coming in now,\u201d Leising said. \u201cAnytime now, any moment, it could have already gotten here. The thought is, as of today, it is just coming up from Baja.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once the wave comes through and disturbs the mixed layer, it can be weeks or months for conditions to rebound as colder water moves in during in the fall or spring.<\/p>\n

On top of everything else, a marine heat wave \u2014 a massive blob of untypically warm water \u2014 has been noted along the Southern California coast this summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can have stronger hurricanes when you have warm surface water,\u201d Leising said. \u201cThe atmosphere is super complicated and super dynamical. It\u2019s hard to say what came first, but it\u2019s all coupled and all related.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"City<\/p>\n

City workers reinforce the wooden retaining wall along the Peninsula on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"City<\/p>\n

City work crews prepare bulk sand bags to be used to protect the most vulnerable homes from expected high surf along the Peninsula, on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Eric<\/p>\n

Eric and Cole Hill survey barrier in front of their home as crews work to sure up the heavily damaged retaining wall on the Peninsula on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"Sandbags<\/p>\n

Sandbags can be seen along the Peninsula in Long Beach on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"City<\/p>\n

City workers reinforce the wooden retaining wall along the Peninsula on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

\"City<\/p>\n

City work crews prepare bulk sand bags to be used to protect the most vulnerable homes from expected high surf along the Peninsula, on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 6<\/p>\n

City workers reinforce the wooden retaining wall along the Peninsula on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a>
\nPreparations underway<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m terrified,\u201d said Dana Point homeowner Natalie Driessen, as she braces for yet another hurricane swell that could wreak further damage to the coastline early next week.<\/p>\n

At least 10 homes in her Beach Road neighborhood have been red-tagged since Hurricane Maria swept through, and seven more yellow-tagged. On the Long Beach Peninsula<\/a>, homes were evacuated as the heavy surf pounded the historic boardwalk and flooded residential streets<\/a> \u2014 one home was yellow-tagged and the boardwalk suffered significant damage. Several oceanfront homes in Laguna Beach were also yellow-tagged.<\/p>\n

Work continues this week to safeguard coastal areas against the ocean\u2019s force as word \u2014 and worry \u2014 of Hurricane Polo spread.<\/p>\n

Homeowners along the Beach Road stretch in Dana Point had crews building up rock revetments in front of their homes to protect against the sea.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

\"HeavyHeavy equipment moves boulders into place to protect homes along Beach Road in Dana Point on Thursday, September 10, 2026. Several homes were red- or yellow-tagged after high tides and heavy surf hit the strip of homes between Coast Highway and the ocean. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register\/SCNG)<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks like a warzone,\u201d Driessen said of her yellow-tagged home, where a seawall of rocks was being piled in front of her cottage.<\/p>\n

Seal Beach, where water flooded into the oceanfront parking lot and onto the boardwalk during the last hurricane swell, has built up its winter berm early, a wall of sand meant to keep the ocean\u2019s waves away from the infrastructure and homes.<\/p>\n

In Laguna Beach, Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond said that there are four areas officials are watching closely that have been closed to the public due to erosion: Aliso Beach parking lot, the beach at Pearl Street, a section of beach at Lagunitas where several homes are yellow-tagged, and a small area at Christmas Cove Beach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen erosion in different areas of our beaches, sand shift is something we experience each year in Laguna Beach, it just depends on how much,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a matter of whether it\u2019s going to happen, it\u2019s how much. Sometimes it\u2019s a little, sometimes it\u2019s a lot. Each weather system brings its own degree of sand shift; it\u2019s one of those things we watch as a city carefully.\u201d<\/p>\n

Newport Beach Lifeguard Chief Brian O\u2019Rourke said sand berms are still in place from the last hurricane swell and pumps are ready, if needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic Works is on top of it, the city staff, we are all aware of the potential,\u201d he said, noting that lifeguards will also staff up.<\/p>\n

The city dispatched three more sand movers to rebuild the berm at Balboa Pier on Thursday ahead of the anticipated hurricane swell.<\/p>\n

But hurricane systems are hard to track or predict: sometimes they change direction, other times they fizzle out, other times they intensify.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re monitoring it, and a couple of possibilities show it could bring some decent surf,\u201d O\u2019Rourke said. \u201cThe models are pointing to it. But as far as the surf forecast, it\u2019s uncertain for now. We\u2019ll have to take it day-by-day. These storms are unpredictable and unstable.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Forecasters are keeping careful watch on yet another hurricane building off Mexico\u2019s coast that could spell trouble for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":474922,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164,1785,7,588,131,137,20741,100,611,10808,136,19],"class_list":["post-474921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news","tag-beaches","tag-california","tag-huntington-beach","tag-long-beach","tag-los-angeles-county","tag-manhattan-beach","tag-news","tag-orange-county","tag-san-clemente","tag-top-stories","tag-weather"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=474921"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/474921\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/474922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=474921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=474921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=474921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}