Coastal flooding threatens Huntington Harbour as high tides continue
California coast braces for next round of high tides
Beach communities are bracing for yet another round of coastal flooding.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - Coastal communities across Orange County are bracing for another round of unusually high tides Tuesday after flooding inundated streets and threatened homes and businesses in Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.
What we know:
Huntington Harbour and Sunset Beach are among the coastal communities dealing with flooding caused by unusually high tides.
In Huntington Beach, video captured a man kayaking down a flooded roadway, illustrating the extent of the flooding in some residential neighborhoods.
Flooding has also been reported along Bayview Drive, where city crews have worked to pump water off residential streets.
Huntington Harbour is particularly vulnerable because many homes and walkways sit directly along channels connected to the ocean.
As ocean tides rise, water levels also increase throughout the harbour, potentially pushing water over the edges of low-lying waterfront areas and onto nearby streets and sidewalks.
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PCH Closures
Local perspective:
As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, October 27, partial closures were in effect along Pacific Coast Highway between Warner Avenue and Anderson Street in the Sunset Beach area.
Officials are warning motorists to expect full closures along this stretch of PCH during periods of high tide as rising water levels threaten to flood the roadway.
The city had previously announced a planned closure window from 8 a.m. until noon Tuesday because of the expected high tides.
AAA warns motorists never to attempt to drive through flooded roadways, even when the water appears shallow.
Standing water can conceal dangerous road conditions and cause significant damage to vehicle engines and electrical systems. Drivers are urged to avoid barricaded areas, use alternate routes and allow additional travel time.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear how much additional flooding Huntington Harbour and surrounding coastal communities could experience as another round of unusually high tides moves through Southern California.
Another major question is how long traffic disruptions along Pacific Coast Highway could continue. Officials have warned that closures should be expected during high king tide events.
The Source: This report is based on city public safety updates, local road closure advisories, public works pump operations, and driver safety warnings issued by the American Automobile Association (AAA).