Newport Beach faces coastal flooding, city asking to avoid Balboa Peninsula
By Julie Sharp
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NEWPORT BEACH, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Part of Newport Beach experienced coastal flooding as ocean water surged onto streets and properties in the Balboa Peninsula community on Friday morning.
A city advisory is in place asking residents and visitors to avoid the Balboa Peninsula “due to street flooding caused by recent storm conditions and elevated tides.” Crews are at the scene, responding to the impacted areas, the city said.
“It’s absolutely brutal out there, unfortunately. We’ve got certain sections of the beach that have come up, where the tides have come up onto our streets and into homes,” Newport Beach City Councilmember Erik Weigand said.
He said communities at The Wedge and 51st Street have also experienced some flooding, as well as an area between 12th Street and 17th Street. High tide hit around 8:50 a.m., with the high tide coming back at 9:13 p.m.
“These Kelvin waves are real,” Weigand said. “It’s not a wave like you would see with swell, but it’s a tidal push, and we’re projecting those to be 20 inches greater than what high tides projected.”
The National Weather Service had issued a coastal flooding advisory, which remains in place through Tuesday.
Every high tide is expected to be higher than normal, especially at the south-facing beaches, like parts of Newport, Long Beach, Dana Point, and Laguna Beach.
Flooding risks are highest on Sunday, with tides likely 1 to 1 ½ feet above astronomical tide charts, according to NWS.
Aerial footage over the Balboa Peninsula showed people wading barefoot on sidewalks and streets, some knee-deep in rainboots and vehicles nearly half-submerged.
“Do not drive through flooded streets. Use alternate routes, exercise caution, and follow directions from public safety personnel,” the city of Newport Beach wrote in a statement.
Newport Beach Fire Department Chief Jeff Boyles advised the community not to drive, walk, or bike through the water, as some places along Balboa Boulevard are submerged in nearly 2 feet of water.
“We’re prepared, and we already know that Sunday morning will likely be a little bit worse with the higher tide and larger swell expected,” Boyles said. “We’re experiencing some unprecedented flooding …”
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