Tropical Storm Rachel Floods Southern California Coastal Streets

High tides and powerful ocean swells associated with Tropical Storm Rachel flooded coastal streets in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, California, on Friday, October 9, 2026, submerging vehicles, slowing traffic and threatening beachfront homes as Southern California braced for further dangerous surf.

In Newport Beach, seawater rushed inland from The Wedge toward the Balboa Peninsula and surrounding areas, including Balboa Island, according to KTLA. Sky5 footage at approximately 10 a.m. showed vehicles stranded in rising floodwaters, while substantial flooding affected Oceanfront Street.

The water advanced as far as two blocks inland after large waves struck the coastline, according to KTLA reporter Rich Prickett. Officials had not confirmed how much water had entered nearby homes, and no injuries had been reported.

Newport Beach officials said city crews were monitoring conditions and responding to affected areas. They urged residents and motorists to avoid the Balboa Peninsula while flooding continued.

"Do not drive through flooded streets. Use alternate routes, exercise caution and follow directions from public safety personnel," Newport Beach city officials said.

Farther north, powerful waves also damaged coastal infrastructure on the Long Beach Peninsula on Friday morning. According to KTLA, large sections of a boardwalk broke apart, debris floated offshore and one home sustained significant structural damage that left it close to collapse.

In Laguna Beach, ocean water covered sections of Broadway Street and Coast Highway before the rainfall associated with Rachel arrived. Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond attributed the flooding to high tides and high surf, with low-lying roads and areas near Main Beach particularly affected.

"Rachel came earlier than expected," Bond said, warning that motorists and visitors to Main Beach and other low-lying parts of Laguna Beach could encounter similar conditions over the following two weeks.

City public works crews began clearing affected areas Thursday morning as traffic along Coast Highway, Broadway Street and Laguna Canyon Road slowed considerably. At nearly 11 a.m., at least 8 inches of water remained at the Coast Highway and Broadway intersection beside the beach park, according to the Orange County Register.

Bond said the water recedes as the tide falls. In South Laguna, part of the coastal parking lot at Aliso Beach reopened after city crews removed sand and assessed conditions. The lot had been closed before Labor Day because of damage associated with an earlier hurricane, while parking spaces nearest the sand were expected to remain closed for at least another couple of weeks.

KTLA meteorologist Henry DiCarlo warned that coastal conditions could deteriorate further from Sunday night into Monday as multiple weather and ocean factors combine. He identified Rachel-driven swells, high tides, a Kelvin wave and an approaching low-pressure system expected to strengthen winds.

"Sunday night into Monday, we’re going to see even stronger waves coming in," DiCarlo said. "We have the swells from Rachel, we have the high tide, and then we’re getting that Kelvin wave that we talk about … What will make it worse is that Sunday into Monday you have all three of those ingredients again, but we’re going to add a fourth. We’re going to get an area of low pressure that’s tracking from northern California. That is going to increase the wind."

The National Weather Service forecast a storm surge of approximately 7 feet on Monday, raising concerns about additional flooding and coastal damage as the storm-related swells continue affecting Southern California.