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Record high tides flood U.S. coasts; Halloween rain risk

By Drooid · Oct 28, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

U.S. National Weather Service meteorologists reported record-breaking high tides flooding coastal areas across the United States.
Los Angeles Harbor tide rose just above 8 ft on Oct. 26, beating the 7.93-ft record set in 2005.
Full moon, offshore storms and El Niño pushed tides up to 1.7 feet above normal.
Southern California models predict Halloween-weekend rain up to 250% of normal, raising flood risk and prompting advisories.

Summary

Metrolink will halt Orange County Line service between Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Oceanside for five days starting Monday.
Long Beach’s beach-widening project moved over 100,000 cubic yards of sand with heavy machinery to create a protective buffer.
The National Weather Service forecasts a 90% chance of rain between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, potentially worsening coastal flooding.

History

In late August 2005 Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, breaching New Orleans’ levees and flooding about 80 percent of the city. The disaster, the costliest U.S. tropical cyclone at $125 billion, spurred massive federal aid and criticism of FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers. Those failures now drive renewed sand-replenishment and stricter coastal-zone planning.

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In late August 2005 Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, breaching New Orleans’ levees and flooding about 80 percent of the city. The disaster, the costliest U.S. tropical cyclone at $125 billion, spurred massive federal aid and criticism of FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers. Those failures now drive renewed sand-replenishment and stricter coastal-zone planning.

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