Record King Tides Are Flooding SoCal and Orange County Buyers Need to Pay Attention

If you have driven near the coast this week, you already know something unusual is happening. The king tide, described as “the highest tides of the year caused by the full moon,” reached 8 feet, 2 inches on Tuesday in the Los Angeles Harbor and broke a record set just one day earlier. Pacific Coast Highway was swamped, and residents said water was pushing up through storm drains.

By Wednesday, coastal communities were preparing for a third straight morning of high tides, with streets, homes, and businesses taking on water along the coast.

Which Cities Have Been Hit

The flooding has touched a long stretch of coastline across Los Angeles and Orange counties.

In Newport Beach, city crews limited flooding around the Balboa Fun Zone, but water still reached homes along Lido Park Drive and near the Newport Harbor Yacht Club. A worker at a marine fueling station told reporters her office flooded and that she had never seen anything like it. The city also declared a local emergency and activated its Emergency Operations Center ahead of the October 26 to 28 tides.

In Sunset Beach, residents spent Tuesday cleaning up after a morning tide flooded streets and properties, and PCH was closed between Warner and Anderson. In Huntington Harbor, crews pumped water off residential streets along Bayview Drive, and the neighborhood is especially vulnerable because so many homes and walkways sit right beside ocean-connected channels.

Farther up the coast, a restaurant in Redondo Beach used buckets to clear water and closed temporarily, and Long Beach residents prepared for more. Forecasters also noted that recent weeks of high surf have caused substantial damage to homes in Long Beach, Malibu, and Newport Beach.

Why This Is Happening Now

The tides are only part of the story. Several Southern California communities have already dealt with flooding, erosion, and damage from a series of Pacific tropical storms and hurricanes, plus a rare ocean event called a Kelvin wave. State officials also link the recent coastal flooding to El Niño conditions that are raising water levels along the coast.

The data backs this up. NOAA tide gauge numbers show Los Angeles has had more flood days from high tides this year than at any point in decades, passing the previous 1983 peak.

What the State Is Doing

Sacramento is taking this seriously. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide state of emergency, directing agencies to stage flood equipment, ready the National Guard, and speed up permits for flood protection work.

On Tuesday, he signed an executive order to protect Pacific Coast Highway and the coastal communities that depend on it. He signed it at Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach, where emergency repairs recently shut down part of PCH after a large crack formed in the cliff beneath the highway between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.

What Comes Next

This may not be the peak. NOAA does not expect El Niño to peak until late November, and experts say king tides during the full moons in November and December could be even worse. Local reports indicated the current round of king tides would continue through today.

Longer term, researchers have been raising concerns for years. A study covered by LAist found that parts of Long Beach, Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach could face chronic flooding several times a month by 2060.

Staying Safe on the Coast

If you live, work, or travel along the coast, stay alert and avoid driving through any road covered by water. Experts also warn that flood-exposed vehicles should be inspected quickly because saltwater can do serious damage to a car.

Bottomline

Orange County remains one of the most beautiful places in the country to call home, and the coast will always have a pull that is hard to describe. If you are thinking about a move to Orange County and want a local perspective on the neighborhoods, the lifestyle, and what living near the water really looks like, reach out to me at Whitestone Real Estate. I would love to help you find the place that fits your life.

Reference: CBS News. (2026, October 28). Photos show record-breaking high tides flooding homes, roads in Southern California.