Massive waves have started battering the Southern California coastline as experts warned homeowners to brace for flash flooding from a looming storm.<\/p>\n
Former hurricane Rachel, currently downgraded to a tropical storm, sent huge swells into Long Beach overnight and into Thursday morning.<\/a><\/p>\n Video showed the waves slapping the coast with explosive force.<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n The storm, currently a tropical storm, caused strong waves to slam into the coast of Long Beach Thursday morning.<\/p>\n As former Hurricane Rachel barrels toward the Southern California coast, residents are already facing massive hurricane-powered waves before potential flash flooding from torrential rains arrives this weekend.<\/p>\n Tropical Storm Rachel will make landfall this weekend in Southern California, though it is unclear what level of storm will hit the mainland.<\/p>\n Current NOAA forecasts<\/a> say it will stay a tropical storm, becoming the first such storm to make landfall in SoCal since 1939.<\/p>\n Coastal Flood Advisories are already in place for LA County Beaches, Ventura County Beaches, the Malibu Coast, and the Catalina and Santa Barbara Islands. Coastal Flood Advisories are also in place for San Diego County Coastal Areas and Orange County Coastal areas. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via AP<\/p>\n Officials warn the storm will bring widespread rainfall, strong winds, and coastal flooding in SoCal. There is also a threat of flash and urban flooding. Swells will create \u201clife-threatening\u201d surf and rip-current conditions. REUTERS<\/p>\n Coastal Flood Advisories are already in place for LA County Beaches, Ventura County Beaches, the Malibu Coast, and the Catalina and Santa Barbara Islands.<\/p>\n Coastal Flood Advisories are also in place for San Diego County Coastal Areas and Orange County Coastal areas.<\/p>\n Officials warn the storm will bring widespread rainfall, strong winds, and coastal flooding in SoCal. There is also a threat of flash and urban flooding. Swells will create \u201clife-threatening\u201d surf and rip-current conditions. <\/p>\n AccuWeather forecasts rainfall as heavy as 2 to 4 inches in the storm\u2019s track.<\/p>\n The storm\u2019s effect on the coast could be exacerbated by an ongoing \u201cKelvin wave,\u201d a super-massive but regularly occurring wave that raises background sea levels for months by as much as a foot. Combined with Tropical Storm Rachel\u2019s waves, it could have devastating effects. REUTERS<\/p>\n AccuWeather forecasts<\/a> rainfall as heavy as 2 to 4 inches in the storm\u2019s track.<\/p>\n The storm\u2019s effect on the coast could be exacerbated by an ongoing \u201cKelvin wave,\u201d a super-massive but regularly occurring wave that raises background sea levels for months by as much as a foot. Combined with Tropical Storm Rachel\u2019s waves, it could have devastating effects.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Kelvin wave by itself will not cause flooding,\u201d Dillon Amaya, an assistant professor at North Carolina State University\u2019s Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, told the LA Times. However, \u201cif there are storms forecasted or a high tide coming up, that is when the Kelvin wave could exacerbate damages.\u201d<\/p>\n The Long Beach peninsula is considered one of the most vulnerable areas. Long Beach officials are already urging residents to prepare for a storm again after Hurricane Marie and Polo damaged its coast.<\/p>\n Tropical Storm Rachel is currently located about 1440 kilometers west of the tip of Baja California. The storm\u2019s track has it taking a turn towards SoCal and Mexico and it is expected to gradually weaken on the way. Getty Images<\/p>\n Officials will distribute the sandbags Thursday through next Tuesday \u201cout of an abundance of caution due to the potential coastal impacts, including hazardous swell combined with high tides, and increasing chance of light to moderate showers starting as early as Saturday night, Oct. 10, expected from Hurricane Rachel.\u201d<\/p>\n Residents in low-lying areas in Long Beach are warned to prepare now.<\/a><\/p>\n Tropical Storm Rachel is currently located about 1440 kilometers west of the tip of Baja California. The storm\u2019s track has it taking a turn towards SoCal and Mexico and it is expected to gradually weaken on the way. Current NOAA forecasts have it hitting Baja California and California late Saturday night.<\/p>\n Spaghetti models show some uncertainty in the tropical storm\u2019s landfall. It could make landfall as far north as LA County or in Baja California, forecasters said.<\/a><\/p>\n On the bright side for SoCal residents, the ongoing heat wave is set to end going into this weekend.<\/p>\n Heat that once saw temps stay in the triple digits, breaking records for October, will go down into the 70s next week as the storm hits.<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t
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