Forecast: Rachel\u2019s arrival will bring the potential for strong winds, rain and more damaging coastal flooding. If the current storm trajectory holds, the bulk of Rachel\u2019s effects will be felt in San Diego County on Sunday morning. However, Orange and Los Angeles counties are still forecast to see widespread rain and coastal flooding as a result of the system, according to the National Weather Service. See more on the timeline here.<\/a>
Exceptionally high tides: At around 9 a.m. Friday, the high tide in San Diego and La Jolla was 17 inches higher than the official prediction, which doesn\u2019t account for hotter-than-normal ocean waters or swells from tropical storms, according to forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Tides were coming in 16 inches higher than the official prediction in Santa Monica and 14 inches higher in San Francisco as of Friday morning.<\/p>\n
Here is a round-up along the coast:<\/p>\n
![\"Newport](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1791611193_30_.jpeg\")
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Newport Beach lifeguards and city crews filled sandbags for oceanfront residents following Friday\u2019s high-tide flooding on the Balboa Peninsula.<\/p>\n
(Susan Hoffman)<\/p>\n
Newport Beach<\/p>\n
Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach were flooded with at least a foot of water during high tides, with police advising residents and motorists to avoid the area. The flooding was remarkable even for a neighborhood that has been prone to regular inundations in the past, particularly during El Ni\u00f1o.<\/p>\n
Officials are still trying to determine how many homes were damaged.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis swell was very unprecedented coming up that high,\u201d Georgia Rios, a spokesperson for the city of Newport Beach, told The Times. \u201cWe knew we were going to have a high swell due to Tropical Storm Rachel, but along with El Ni\u00f1o it really has been a combination force here in Newport.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city declared a local emergency Friday and urged residents to pick up sandbags to protect their homes over the weekend. City crews are pumping out water on the streets, rebuilding beach berms and opening tide valves to help mitigate water intrusion. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not even the worst that is expected,\u201d Rios said. \u201cIt\u2019s forecast to get even worse on Sunday with rain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Residents can pick up sandbags at Newport Beach\u2019s corporation yard at 592 Superior Ave., which will remain open overnight to distribute the bags, City Manager Seimone Jurjis said at a news conference Friday. <\/p>\n
Other distribution sites include Marina Park and the lifeguard headquarters on Balboa Peninsula.<\/p>\n
\u201cI strongly encourage residents in flood-prone areas to take precautions now,\u201d Jurjis said. \u201cMove vehicles and possessions away from areas that may flood and secure your property with sandbags and other measures. Please do not wait until water begins rising to prepare.\u201d<\/p>\n
Newport Beach Utilities Director Mark Vukojevic told ABC7<\/a> that the morning tide came in 20 inches higher than what had been predicted. \u201cIt\u2019s significant. We\u2019ve seen it be 12 inches higher, but this is, you know, kind of record-breaking for us,\u201d he told the outlet. <\/p>\n Vukojevic said Friday that the city\u2019s \u201cgreat risk points\u201d include the popular surfing spot known as the Wedge, 6th Street to 15th Street, and 40th Street to 60th Street.<\/p>\n The Newport Beach Police Department said in an alert Friday that the parking lots at Balboa and Newport Beach piers were closed. Police encouraged drivers to exercise caution in low-lying areas around the city.<\/p>\n Jurjis said Friday evening that the process of draining flooded streets was taking longer than usual because ocean levels remained high, even during low-tide times. <\/p>\n A sand berm protects oceanfront property along the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach following a flooding event on Friday.<\/p>\n (Susan Hoffman)<\/p>\n Laguna Beach<\/p>\n The intersection of Coast Highway and Broadway was inundated with water from big waves and high tides. The typically sandy sections of Main Beach \u2014 where locals often gather to walk along the sand and play beach volleyball \u2014 were transformed into a sea of water.<\/p>\n Aliso Beach has also been affected by flooding, the city said in a briefing<\/a> shared on social media Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n The flooding is expect to continue for about two weeks, so commuters should plan accordingly, as high-tide periods are expected to result in lane closures, according to City Manager Dave Kiff. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a time to observe the ocean from afar unless you\u2019re an expert swimmer or surfer,\u201d said Laguna Beach Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond, adding that all rocky beach areas in the area should be considered closed.<\/p>\n Huntington Beach<\/p>\n High surf battered parts of Huntington Beach, resulting in localized flooding on streets in the Sunset Beach area. That stretch is prone to flooding during high tides and storm surges. <\/p>\n There were no reports of any property damage. <\/p>\n City officials said they have activated the Emergency Operations Center in preparation for the weekend and are making sand and sandbags available to residents.<\/p>\n Huntington Beach and Sunset Beach residents can collect up to 20 sandbags at the city\u2019s corporate yard, Edison Community Center and Warner Fire Station, according to the city\u2019s website<\/a>. The sandbags are self-service, meaning residents should bring their own shovel. Businesses are not eligible and proof of residency is required.<\/p>\n Long Beach<\/p>\n Powerful waves crumbled large sections of the boardwalk on the Long Beach Peninsula and left several homes with severe structural damage. Video showed waves slamming against the bulkhead that protects beachfront homes.<\/p>\n The city has already been besieged by an unusually active, El Ni\u00f1o-fueled hurricane season, taking damage from Hurricane Marie<\/a> over Labor Day weekend and Hurricane Polo<\/a> last month.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had three storms pretty much back to back to back,\u201d said Laath Martin, a spokesperson for the city. \u201cThis is definitely not something that we see very often.\u201d<\/p>\n Officials have red-tagged two properties, including a duplex with three units. Three buildings have also been yellow-tagged ahead of Rachel\u2019s arrival after sustaining damage from Hurricane Marie.<\/p>\n Long Beach has already distributed more than 7,500 sandbags as residents prepare for what could be a very trying weekend. Sandbags are available at Long Beach Fire Department neighborhood stations, according to the city\u2019s website<\/a>. Bring a shovel, as the sandbags are self-service. Each Long Beach resident can pick up a maximum of 10 bags, and identification is required.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard to predict exactly what will happen, but just based on forecasts, we\u2019re preparing for more damage,\u201d Martin said.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1791611193_309_.jpeg\")
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