Ocean water surged onto streets and properties in Newport Beach on Friday, October 9, 2026, prompting city officials to declare a local emergency. Fueled by high tides, a south swell, and moisture from Tropical Storm Rachel, the flooding inundated the Balboa Peninsula and left vehicles submerged.
Balboa Peninsula residents woke up to shin-deep water on Friday morning as seawater poured over sand barriers and pushed several blocks inland. The city of Newport Beach declared a local emergency shortly after the surge began, allowing local leaders to coordinate regional resources and request mutual aid as forecasters warned that conditions would worsen over the weekend.
Seawater Inundates Newport Beach Streets
Aerial footage showed vehicles nearly half-submerged on Balboa Boulevard while residents waded through flooded streets in rain boots. Utilities director Mark Vukojevic reported that flooding extended across an estimated 15 to 20 blocks, turning residential roadways into lakes. City crews deployed about 40 to 50 employees to operate pumps, open tide valves, and clear standing water from streets near the harbor.
Longtime residents described the event as unprecedented for the area. Bill Sharp, who has lived in West Newport for 65 years, said he has seen streets in low-lying areas flood over the years, but noted that this water came from River Jetties to the Wedge, pouring over the berms and filling the streets in a way he called unprecedented.
Other local figures shared similar observations about the severity of the surge. Erik Weigand remarked that he remembered times growing up in Newport Beach when streets would flood, as well as similar summer flooding events in 2010 and on July 4, 2020, when Balboa Peninsula streets flooded and cars were pushed around in the parking lot. Gus Orozco of Balboa Fun Tours described how all the water started rising little by little while he was busy cleaning saltwater off beach cruisers.
City Officials Deploy Emergency Response Crews
During a Friday evening news conference, Mayor Lauren Kleiman told reporters that this declaration will help the city secure additional resources and coordinate with regional partners as they respond to these conditions. Seimone Jurjis outlined the ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable coastline properties before the next tidal cycle, stating that right now they have city staff members and contractors utilizing heavy equipment to rebuild and reinforce protective sand berms along their beaches while prioritizing the areas at greatest risk and continuing work through the evening and into the weekend.
To assist property owners, the city set up sandbag distribution points, including at Marina Park on the peninsula. Lifeguards also had sandbags in their vehicles at lifeguard headquarters for Balboa Peninsula residents, while police restricted access to some flooded neighborhoods and allowed only residents into the area.
Tropical Storm Rachel Collides With High Tides
According to meteorologists, the flooding on Friday resulted from an unusual combination of coastal threats associated with Tropical Storm Rachel, which anticipates hitting land in northern Baja California or San Diego County as soon as Saturday night. Forecasters noted this is only the second time a tropical storm watch has been issued for Southern California since the remnant of former Hurricane Hilary moved into the state in 2023.
Forecasters warn that Sunday is the biggest day of concern, with high tides likely 1 to 1.5 feet above astronomical tide charts, powerful swells, and dangerous rip currents. A coastal flood advisory remains in effect through Tuesday afternoon. Utilities director Mark Vukojevic noted that the tide came in 20 inches higher than the predicted tide value, compounding ongoing beach erosion along Southern California coasts.
To help residents track preparedness efforts, Orange County launched a website at ocgov.com/el-nino to serve as a central source for updates on the county’s response to storm-related issues and links to local government resources.
A public gathering has been organized by city authorities on October 13 at Newport Beach City Hall to discuss past shoreline structures and sand replenishment, the present state of the city’s beaches, along with current and future projects aimed at adding sand to specific coastal zones.
What protection will shoreline projects provide when high tides return, and who will pay for the ongoing beach repairs?
