High tides and surf threaten flooding along SoCal coast

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - A risk of coastal flooding persisted in the Southland today because of a combination of high surf and unusually high tides, the National Weather Service said.

The highest high tides this week are expected today and Thursday during the mid to late morning hours, an NWS statement said, adding that water levels are expected to range from 7 to 7.5 feet during the highest tide each day.
Along the Central Coast, tides will be somewhat lower but bigger surf is expected, building to between eight and 12 feet or higher, it said. "There will be a risk of coastal flooding during this time as elevated water levels result from the combination of building surf, and unusually high tides," the statement said, specifically citing Long Beach in L.A. County, Port Hueneme in Ventura County and Pismo and Oceano beaches in San Luis Obispo
County as locations prone to coastal flooding.

A coastal flood advisory will be in effect until 2 p.m. Friday in Los Angeles County and 9 p.m. Thursday in Orange County. Coastal flood advisories also will be in force in Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and San Diego counties.

Additionally, a high surf advisory scheduled to be in force until Friday afternoon was issued for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, but no further south.

The NWS also forecast a long-period northwest swell today through Friday, with a potential for high surf on west- to northwest-facing beaches.

Forecasters said the expected conditions could generate flooding of such low-lying areas as beach parking lots, adjacent streets and, possibly, structures.