Full Breakdown
Rachel’s Storm Surge Ravages Southern California Coastlines
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Core Event: Storm Surge Hits Long Beach and Newport Beach
On October 9 the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel moved ashore along California’s south-facing coast, generating 4-to-9-foot surf and unusually high tides that reached 7-to-7.8 feet. In Long Beach, waves slammed the historic boardwalk and bulkhead on the Alamitos Peninsula, forcing the city to red-tag eight buildings (affecting 13 residences) and yellow-tag one additional structure. In Newport Beach, high tide combined with a south swell flooded streets on the Balboa Peninsula, prompting local-emergency declarations and the closure of the Newport and Balboa piers.
Background & Context
The surge arrived during an active El Niño season. Earlier in the fall, Hurricane Marie and Hurricane Polo had already weakened seawalls and eroded beach sand. Meteorologists linked Rachel’s amplified impact to a Kelvin wave—a warm-water pulse that added roughly one foot to baseline sea levels—compounding the El Niño-driven thermal expansion.
Data & Statistics
- Red-tagged homes: Long Beach officials reported eight structures (13 addresses) as unsafe; a later city release cited 13 residences under red tags.
- Sandbag distribution: 17,000 sandbags were handed out for the latest event, bringing the total to about 24,000 across three recent storms.
- Sand movement: Crews moved 45,000 cubic yards of sand to widen the beach by ~200 feet and plan to transport 50,000-100,000 cubic yards between 62nd and 70th Place next week. Newport Beach aims to bring 100,000 cubic yards from the Santa Ana River to its west-Newport groins in November.
Official Statements & Responses
City Manager Tom Modica noted that more than $1 million in one-time costs had already been drawn from the city’s Tidelands emergency reserves to fund sandbagging, berm reinforcement, and emergency repairs. Public Works Director Dave Webb said the city monitors beaches and shares data with partner agencies to secure additional resources. City Utilities Director Mark Vukojevic estimated flooding spanned roughly 15-20 blocks on the Balboa Peninsula and described the emergency response as a “round-the-clock” effort.
Criticism & Opposition
Residents expressed frustration that mitigation measures appeared reactive rather than proactive. Denise Oberman (Long Beach) said, “This was not a surprise to the city,” and noted that berms of 18-24 inches were “immediately wiped out.” Council candidate Walter Stahr questioned why larger berms were not built earlier, demanding an “honest answer” from officials. Newport Beach homeowner Adam Leverenz argued that the half-million-dollar post-event spend should have been allocated to anticipatory planning.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact count of unsafe structures in Long Beach—some reports list eight red-tagged buildings, while later city communications cite 13 residences. The timing of sand-bag deliveries also varies: one outlet notes 17,000 bags for the latest storm, another aggregates 24,000 across three events without specifying the latest count. No definitive estimate has been released for the total volume of sand needed to fully restore the eroded shoreline.
What’s Next
Long Beach’s seven-point plan calls for immediate bulkhead repairs, accelerated sand-replenishment, and the Alamitos Bay Entrance Channel dredging project, slated to begin within weeks. Newport Beach will commence a 100,000-cubic-yard sand import to its west-Newport groins in November and is exploring hydraulic dredging at the Wedge for spring 2027. Both cities remain on high alert as the El Niño season progresses, with the National Weather Service forecasting additional high-tide events and surf that could exceed current protective capacities. Residents are urged to keep sandbags on hand, heed evacuation orders, and sign up for municipal emergency alerts.