Home Care In Long Beach, CA

Long Beach officials issued serious warnings ahead of potentially destructive conditions on Sunday generated by Tropical Storm Rachel, which is expected to bring unusually high tides leading to urban flooding.

During a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Mayor Rex Richardson urged residents to avoid the Peninsula for the remainder of the weekend and stay prepared.

"This is a sobering reminder of the power of nature," he said. "We want to acknowledge that this is going to get worse in the coming days. So take this seriously and be prepared."

Richardson said crews were working to repair previous damage caused by high tides on Friday, which included eight red-tagged structures. The city issued a mandatory evacuation order on Friday for homes on Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th Place.

Preparations were being made in anticipation of even higher tides on Sunday.

"These kind of impacts are not normal. They're unprecedented for our community," Richardson said. "These continued threats have brought significant, significant damage right to our shoreline's front door."

The National Weather Service said Rachel is expected to become a Post-Tropical Storm by the time it makes landfall in the Mexican state of Baja California on Sunday, but its remnants were still likely to provide rain as far north as Los Angeles County.

Long Beach Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan said crews have placed and distributed more than 10,000 sandbags in anticipation of Sunday's tides. He encouraged residents to prepare "go bags" in case more evacuation orders are necessary.

"We've seen so much damage and we expect even more," Buchanan said.

Conditions on the Peninsula in Long Beach are expected to remain critical into next week, said Councilmember Kristina Duggan, who represents the area. She said she's seeking long-term solutions to the increasing problem of high tides.

"We need to be implementing solutions now that will get us through this El Niño season and start working on longer-term solutions," she said. "In the meantime, I'm asking residents to continue taking these conditions seriously."

After weeks of stifling heat, Long Beach is preparing for a different kind of weather: powerful southerly swells, followed by rain showers as early as Saturday, all courtesy of a hurricane expected to make landfall in California this weekend.

Waves arrived along the Peninsula on Wednesday — sending water onto the boardwalk and side streets — and returned Thursday, slapping against the already weakened bulkhead that serves as the last line of defense for a number of beach homes.

With a coastal advisory in effect through Friday, experts say 3-to-6-foot waves are being carried to shore by tides reaching 7 feet high and leaving behind dangerous rip currents.

City crews were busy the past several days stowing hundreds of sandbags beneath the boardwalk as a second barrier, with emergency pumps ready. The work is complicated by the short window between recurring high tides and a limited supply of sand.

“We’re just basically trying to create a buffer between that impact zone, the energy of the impact, and that wall,” said Marine Safety Chief Gonzalo Medina. “I do expect that we will see some activity and some water intrusion out onto the streets, certainly the boardwalk.”

Marine and fire crews are expected to stand by overnight to monitor water levels and assist residents.

The area has already been tested this year, taking damage from Hurricane Marie over Labor Day weekend, followed by Hurricane Polo in late September. The National Weather Service says this week’s flooding will probably exceed Polo’s but fall short of Marie’s.

Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the NWS office in Oxnard, said swells are forecast to peak Thursday through Saturday during the morning and evening tides.

It’s another example of an abnormal season, Lund said, where tides are running 1 to 2 feet higher than usual, well “above the astronomical tide charts.”

Waves are being charged north by Hurricane Rachel, which is expected to weaken considerably before it makes landfall 100 miles south of San Diego early Sunday and reaches the California-Mexico border by Monday.

In comparison to the 2023 tropical storm Hillary, which wrought widespread flooding that necessitated rescues in desert towns, Lund said this storm is farther south and entering at a more horizontal angle toward New Mexico.

But it’s still “hard to tell for right now” how the storm will progress, Lund said, saying higher-resolution models should be released Friday or Saturday that more accurately predict its path.

Forecasters say the system should still deliver heavy rain, gusty winds, dangerous surf and localized flooding, with hazardous zones stretching as far north as Orange County.

In Long Beach, rain could start as early as Saturday morning and linger through Tuesday night, with the best chance from Sunday morning through Monday evening.

Totals are expected to be modest, roughly a quarter to three-quarters of an inch, with a small chance of thunderstorms. South-to-west gusts of 20 to 35 mph are likely from Saturday through Monday, adding the risk of fallen trees and power lines.

“The wind would actually be a lot more problematic than the rain,” Medina said. “You have a lot of trees already that we’re seeing, just from this heat, that have fallen. This heat has weakened the structure of a lot of these trees. And now you bring wind into the equation. The trees bring down power lines, and it gets complicated after that.”

The storm arrives at the tail end of a weekslong heat wave that experts say is a consequence of climate change compounded by El Niño, which has kept nights unusually warm and humid.

“At night it’s not cooling off as much, and that ends up being pretty consequential,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Because obviously the night is when people would usually cool down.”

El Niño also helps explain the high number of hurricanes and storm systems like Rachel and its predecessors, Swain said. “El Niño also increases hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific Ocean,” Swain said, describing a season that ranks as either the most or second most active on record depending on the metric.

The result has been repeated surges of tropical moisture toward Southern California, leaving humidity high.

Ocean temperatures off the coast are now about 7 to 8 degrees above average, and the Pacific from central Baja California to Southern California is at record warmth in data going back to 1982. Warm water expands, and a Kelvin wave, an underwater ripple that becomes “coastally trapped” as it reaches the Americas, can add 6 to 12 inches to background sea levels, potentially for months.

Swain said harbor masters and fire departments in coastal Los Angeles County have been calling him. “They’re like, ‘I’ve never seen water this high,'” he said, adding one told him it was the highest in 30 years, on a day that wasn’t supposed to be a particularly high tide.

And he expects it to get worse. “That’s something that’s actually going to get worse as we go into November and December.”

More Kelvin waves are expected this season, and scientists worry about one coinciding with a king tide, a major storm or both. The Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a wetter-than-average winter for Southern California, and Swain sees little doubt.

“All signs continue to point toward a very wet winter in coastal Southern California,” he said. “I would be very surprised if we did not have that.”

For now, the city is focused on the week ahead. Sandbag distribution sites open Thursday at 10 a.m. at Fire Stations 7, 12, 13 and 14, and at the Claremont Beach parking lot, through Tuesday.

Empty sandbags are available at all LBFD neighborhood Fire Stations. While the Claremont Beach Parking Lot (5400 E. Ocean Blvd.) site is offering sand and sandbags through Tuesday. Sand and sandbags are also available at the locations listed below starting Thursday, Oct. 8, at 10 a.m.:

• Fire Station 7 – 2295 Elm St.• Fire Station 12 – 1199 E. Artesia Blvd.• Fire Station 13 – 2475 Adriatic Ave.• Fire Station 14 – 5200 E. Eliot St.

Long Beach residents on Saturday braced for potentially heavy rain, strong winds, high tides and flooding, with Tropical Storm Rachel expected to close in on Southern California on Sunday, Oct. 11.

Mayor Rex Richardson and other city officials at a Saturday news conference said the fallout from the storm and two previous hurricanes that hit Long Beach since Labor Day weekend has been “unprecedented.”

“We have plans and systems in place to address natural disasters and other emergencies, but this is a sobering reminder of the power of nature and, most importantly, it’s a reminder of the importance of staying prepared,” Richardson said.

City officials warned the worst is ahead and urged residents citywide – not just in the Peninsula neighborhood – to sign up for Alert Long Beach, the city’s emergency notification system, and make sure they have sandbags for their homes, not only for this weekend but the upcoming El Nino season.

City officials said over 10,000 sandbags so far had been distributed ahead of Tropical Storm Rachel and about 17,000 across the three recent weather events. Residents can pick up sandbags at Fire Stations 7, 12, 13 and 14.

The mayor also urged people who don’t live in the Peninsula to stay away from the area to allow city crews to do their jobs.

On Friday, punishing waves battered the Peninsula, damaging a protective bulkhead, flooding nearby homes and streets and prompting evacuations, with 13 residences in eight buildings red-tagged and another building yellow-tagged after being swamped by unusually high tides, officials said Saturday.

“It’s bad. It’s going to be a lot of things to fix when this is over,” said Long Beach Peninsula resident Brian Gerrard on Saturday. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime storm. Who’s prepared for that?”

Other cities with south-facing beaches were also reeling this weekend.

Newport Beach temporarily closed the city’s piers and the Wedge on Saturday, as crews worked to alleviate coastal flooding, and as Tropical Storm Rachel approaches.

The closures came a day after powerful swells and unusually high tides sent seawater spilling onto streets in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, forcing road closures and prompting crews to pump water from neighborhoods.

The National Weather Service has issued coastal flood warnings for Orange County and Los Angeles County beaches, including Long Beach and Malibu, until 3 a.m. Sunday, warning that damaging floods and beach erosion are likely. The warning will be followed by a coastal flood advisory from 3 p.m. Sunday until 2 p.m. Tuesday.

On Sunday, the morning high tide is forecast around 9:40 a.m. in Newport Beach and 9:50 a.m. in Long Beach, when powerful surf could again send seawater into vulnerable coastal communities.

High tides are expected to reach between 7.3 and 7.5 feet along the Los Angeles County coast this weekend.

In Long Beach on Saturday morning, a city crew remained at 63rd Place and Ocean Boulevard, pumping water from the ocean that was traveling toward Ocean Boulevard back out toward Alamitos Bay as nearby residents milled about, observing the scene and taking photos or videos on their phones. One man wheeled a cart full of sandbags, presumably back to his home.

Jim Gesner, a 16-year resident of the Peninsula community, said his home on 67th Place hasn’t been directly impacted by the flooding, but he spent the last couple days moving some items from the first floor to higher ground as a precaution.

He recalled some flooding about 11 years ago but said it was nothing like what the city is facing this weekend.

“I feel really bad for my neighbors who have property on the beach. They’re losing their houses,” he said, adding that many residents don’t bother purchasing flood insurance because it’s so expensive.

At the same time, Gesner said it was reassuring to see more city workers out Saturday morning, helping pump out the ocean water to keep the street from flooding. Ocean Boulevard was flooded from about 62nd to 65th Place on Friday morning before City workers cleared much of the water out by about noon, he said.

“I think they’re doing what they can at the moment,” he said.

An announcement from Newport Beach on Saturday morning said all beaches were closed, but by early afternoon they were re-opened, the city said, though the piers and the beach from M Street to the Wedge surfing spot remained off-limits. Officials urged people to stay off sand berms to protect public safety and prevent damage to the berms.

While the flooding receded along the Balboa Peninsula Saturday morning with higher berms and overnight pumping, footage from Long Beach showed waves continuing to hit the damaged boardwalk near East Ocean Boulevard and 68th Place. Some sand berms built after the previous round of high surf were washed away in spots. Damage was visible to the boardwalk, with debris floating offshore as waves washed around and beneath waterfront homes.

The NWS warned that Sunday could bring even higher water levels if lower atmospheric pressure associated with Rachel and stronger onshore winds coincide with the morning high tide.

Rachel is expected to track well south of Los Angeles County, but moisture drawn northward by a low-pressure system was expected to bring periods of light to moderate rain beginning as early as Saturday evening, according to the weather service. It was already drizzling in Newport Beach and Long Beach as early as noon.

As of Saturday morning, Rachel had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving northeast at 22 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm’s precise track remained uncertain, but forecasters said its center was most likely to move into northern Baja California, south of the U.S.-Mexico border, by evening.

A less likely track farther north could increase rainfall and wind impacts in Southern California.

A high surf advisory is in effect for Los Angeles County beaches from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, with waves of 4 to 7 feet expected, along with strong rip currents and significant beach erosion.

Large breaking waves could sweep people off beaches and rocks or capsize small boats near shore, the National Weather Service warned.

Orange County beaches could see surf of 5 to 7 feet, with local sets reaching 9 feet Sunday. On Saturday morning, the Crystal Cove Conservancy announced it would temporarily close some of its popular beachfront vacation cottages.

Steve Robles’ home on Bay Shore Walk is right on the water of Long Beach’s Alamitos Bay. He knows there’s a chance the water level could rise and flood his home.

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. If it happens, it happens,” Robles said with a shrug on Saturday.

He said he was less concerned about damage to the things inside his home than he was possible damage to his car, which was parked in an outdoor lot. Without a car, he said, he wouldn’t be able to go to work or important appointments.

Robles, who moved to Long Beach three years ago, said he was considering moving his car and parking it somewhere outside of the Peninsula to be safe.

One of his neighbors, meanwhile, had been busy putting sandbags up against her garage, concerned that water might get into the elevator shaft and damage equipment.

The red-tagged and yellow-tagged buildings are all along the 6400 and 6500 blocks of East Seaside Walk. A red tag indicates that a structure is unsafe for entry and a yellow tag indicates that a building owner can enter temporarily to gather belongings but cannot stay until the house is deemed structurally safe.

Long Beach Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan said the mandatory evacuation of the homes there is expected to remain in place until noon Tuesday, though that timeline is subject to change depending on conditions.

City manager Tom Modica outlined a seven-point plan to strengthen protection of the peninsula and to address immediate and longer-term coastal resiliency. The work would involve repairing damages, replenishing sand on the beach, creating additional protection and pursuing longer-term solutions and funding, he said.

Part of that work includes making repairs along the coast, including to the damaged bulkhead and boardwalk. Crews have already been reinforcing the boardwalk, and, if conditions are safe enough, a contractor will begin making permanent repairs starting Monday or Tuesday, Modica said.

That project had originally been estimated to cost $1 million to $1.5 million, but with additional damages from Rachel, city officials now believe it will cost between $1.5 million and $3.5 million. The money will come out of a tidelines emergency reserve account, not the city’s general fund or general emergency reserves, Modica said.

In addition, Modica said, starting Saturday, crews will begin moving 50,000 to 100,000 cubic yards of sand onto the peninsula to help build out the beach since the recent storm and hurricanes have caused substantial beach erosion.

In Newport Beach, city crews spent Friday into Saturday pumping seawater from flooded streets and reinforcing sand berms to protect vulnerable neighborhoods.

The flooding came just days before a Newport Beach City Council study session scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, to discuss severe beach erosion, sand replenishment and possible long-term shoreline protection strategies.

Councilmember Erik Weigand visited the Balboa Peninsula on Friday with Brett Sanders, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of UC Irvine’s Climate Collaboration, to survey the flooding.

“I don’t see this ending,” Weigand said. “Maybe this El Nino comes and goes, but what about the next El Nino. What does it mean for our residents, tourism and our businesses?”

The flooding concerns could persist well beyond this weekend.

Sanders said tides are expected to reach about 7 feet around Thanksgiving and Christmas. If Kelvin waves — ocean disturbances that can temporarily raise sea levels — persist, water levels could rise as much as 2 feet above normal, potentially producing 9-foot tides.

“Pray there aren’t waves at the same time,” Sanders said. “If the waves come at the same time, we’re in for a lot of trouble.”

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Long Beach officials on Saturday announced the city's latest preparations for Tropical Storm Rachel and efforts to address coastal flooding and tidal surges, particularly along the Peninsula.

The afternoon news conference came one day after waves pounded a portion of the Long Beach waterfront, damaging a boardwalk and homes in an area already battered by coastal erosion, with city officials reporting five damaged structures and warning that the worst conditions are still ahead.

"It is not normal that we see this type of activity," Mayor Rex Richardson said. "Just in this season, this marks the third hurricane in just six weeks. We saw Hurricane Marie over Labor Day, which was followed soon by Hurricane Polo, and now Rachel is bringing with it more high tides, more surf, erosion that continues to cause damage to properties and damage along our coastline."

The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning Friday afternoon for Los Angeles County beaches through 3 p.m. Sunday, warning that damaging ocean flooding is likely along vulnerable south-facing beaches, particularly in Long Beach and Malibu.

Forecasters also issued a high surf advisory from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, with waves of 4 to 7 feet expected, along with strong rip currents and significant beach erosion.

Eight structures in the city have been red-tagged, and one other structure has been yellow-tagged.

A red tag indicates that a structure is unsafe for entry, while a yellow tag allows a property owner to enter temporarily to retrieve belongings but prohibits occupancy until the building is deemed structurally safe, Richardson said.

The latest damage follows an earlier round of high surf that battered homes along the 6400 and 6500 blocks of Seaside Walk, prompting city and fire inspectors to evaluate the structures. An evacuation order has since been issued for those blocks, the mayor said, adding: "We'll continue to evaluate that in case that needs to expand."

Some sand berms built after the previous round of high surf were washed away in spots. Damage was visible to the boardwalk, with debris floating offshore as waves washed around and beneath waterfront homes.

City officials said 7,600 sandbags had been distributed to residents preparing for the latest storm, bringing the total distributed during three recent storms to approximately 15,000.

Sand and sandbag distribution sites have also been activated at fire stations throughout Long Beach as officials prepare for additional impacts from Tropical Storm Rachel.

"We've closed off vehicular access to the Peninsula for residents only," Richardson said. "We're encouraging everyone else to avoid the Peninsula all weekend, so that our city crews can have access and best perform this critical work."

The weather service warned that coastal flooding could damage beach roads and structures, particularly around morning high tides, while significant erosion is expected along beaches.

High tides of 7.3 to 7.6 feet are expected each morning, with forecasters warning that conditions could deteriorate Sunday as swells from multiple directions combine with strong winds, rain and elevated ocean water levels associated with Tropical Storm Rachel.

Forecasters said the severity of Sunday's coastal flooding remains uncertain, with the possibility of substantially greater damage if multiple weather and ocean conditions peak simultaneously.

The coastal flood warning could be extended beyond Sunday or replaced by a coastal flood advisory through Tuesday, according to the weather service.

Winds over coastal waters are expected to increase Saturday and Sunday, potentially reaching 20 to 30 knots and generating steep, choppy seas hazardous to small vessels.

The weather service urged residents and visitors to stay off beaches, coastal walkways and vulnerable roads and structures, and warned motorists not to drive around barricades or through floodwaters of unknown depth.

Rain is expected to spread across the region Saturday night into Sunday morning, with showers potentially continuing through Tuesday night.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Southern California's coastal communities are preparing for more flooding as Tropical Storm Rachel brings dangerous waves and rising seawater. Newport Beach has closed all its beaches and piers, while crews work to strengthen sand barriers ahead of another high tide.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a coastal flood warning for beaches in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties through 3pm local time, Sunday.

Newport Beach closes all beaches and piers

As per the NY Post, Newport Beach has shut all beaches and piers as strong waves keep flooding the coast. The closures began Saturday. Officials said conditions were getting worse.

“Due to ongoing flooding, all city beaches and piers are closed until further notice,” the city announced. Officials also warned: “Flooding and hazardous conditions pose serious safety risks.”

The city declared a local emergency on Friday. Floodwaters overtook homes and businesses on Balboa Island. Seawater also rushed across the Balboa Peninsula.

Crews were still working on Saturday morning to fill gaps in sand berms. This raised fears of another round of flooding.

“We’re planning for the worst,” Newport Beach City Manager Seimone Jurjis said at a Friday night press conference. Mayor Lauren Kleiman said: “We’ve worked all summer to prepare for this.”

Flood warning issued

Southern California’s coastal towns are getting ready for high tide on Saturday morning. As per forecasters, Tropical Storm Rachel is expected to bring damaging flooding.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Coastal Flood Warning through 3pm local time on Sunday. It covers beach communities in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties, including Avalon on Catalina Island.

The NWS said Long Beach and Malibu are especially at risk of “damaging seawater flooding.”

The NWS warning says: “For vulnerable south-facing beaches, seawater flooding can damage beach roads and structures, especially around the time of high tide. For all other beaches and harbors, shallow and minor seawater flooding can impact beaches and walkways. For all beach areas, significant erosion is expected. There is an increased risk for ocean drowning. Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Large breaking waves can cause injury, wash people off beaches and rocks, and capsize small boats near shore.”

According to the NWS, the worst flooding is expected on Sunday because of rain chances and higher tides caused by the storm.

The storm will most likely make landfall well south of the US-Mexico border, but rain and coastal flooding will still be felt in Southern California.

Long Beach: Homes red-tagged, evacuation ordered

High tides on Friday caused damage in Long Beach and Newport Beach. Long Beach residents told CBS LA that pieces of boardwalk have battered windows and homes along the shoreline. At least eight homes were red-tagged by Friday night.

The city has issued a mandatory evacuation order for homes on Seaside Walk.

“The City is issuing a mandatory evacuation order for homes on Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th Place (6400 and 6500 block). This will take effect at 7 p.m. on Oct. 9 and continue through noon on Tuesday, October 13,” the city of Long Beach said.

“The return date is subject to change based on evolving conditions City personnel are going door-to-door in the impacted area to provide further instructions. Additionally, an Alert Long Beach message has been sent to residents of the Peninsula ahead of time regarding the evacuation, and another will be sent when the order is in place at 7pm."