Southern California Flooding: Rachel Drives Seawater Into Long Beach Homes As Evacuation Order Continues

Post-Tropical Storm Rachel has intensified coastal flooding across Southern California, sending seawater into homes and streets in Long Beach as officials warn that dangerous conditions could persist into early next week. The storm’s center was forecast to move ashore in northern Baja California on Saturday night, while high tides, powerful waves and rainfall threatened communities along the region’s coastline.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Long Beach’s Peninsula neighborhood sustained significant damage after waves overtopped a protective barrier, flooded residential properties and damaged sections of the boardwalk. The flooding prompted building safety inspections and restrictions on access to affected areas. A mandatory evacuation order remained in effect for oceanfront homes along Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th places through noon Tuesday, October 13, according to city officials.

The National Weather Service warned that coastal flooding could worsen Sunday morning as high tides combine with onshore winds and large swells. Forecasters said damaging coastal flooding could continue through at least Tuesday. Flash-flood risks also extended to inland areas, including parts of San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties, where heavy rainfall threatened communities in the Coachella Valley and surrounding desert regions.

Long Beach Flooding: Homes Damaged as Evacuation Order Remains in Effect

Long Beach was among the coastal communities hardest hit by Rachel, as powerful waves overtopped a protective bulkhead and sent seawater into nearby homes and streets. The Peninsula neighborhood sustained damage to residential properties and its boardwalk, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Mayor Rex Richardson said inspectors had red-tagged eight buildings across 13 addresses, including apartment properties, and yellow-tagged at least one other building as of Saturday. A red tag means a building is unsafe to enter, while a yellow tag indicates that its use is restricted.

The city restricted access to the Peninsula, barring nonresident traffic and imposing additional street closures beginning at 62nd Place.

A mandatory evacuation order covered oceanfront homes along Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th places. City officials said the order took effect at 7 p.m. Friday and was scheduled to remain in force until noon Tuesday.

The flooding underscored the vulnerability of low-lying coastal properties when large waves coincide with elevated tides. Officials also arranged for a commercial crane to place sandbags along part of the affected waterfront to help limit further seawater intrusion.

Other coastal communities took precautionary measures. Newport Beach temporarily closed some beach areas on Saturday, while Huntington Beach activated its emergency operations center ahead of the storm’s impact.

High Tides and Heavy Rain Raise Further Flooding Concerns

The National Weather Service warned that additional coastal flooding was possible on Sunday, particularly along the Orange and San Diego county coasts, where large swells and high tides could push seawater into low-lying areas.

In Newport Beach, the high tide was forecast to reach 7.6 feet at 9:48 a.m. Sunday. Forecasters also predicted surf of 6 to 9 feet, with the largest waves expected along south-facing beaches, particularly in Orange County.

The Los Angeles Harbor tide gauge recorded a peak of 7.7 feet on Saturday morning, about 1.6 feet above the predicted tide. The National Weather Service warned that high tides approaching 8 feet on Sunday morning could near or exceed recent record levels for Los Angeles County.

The flooding threat extended inland. Overnight, the weather service issued flash flood warnings for parts of San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties, including areas around El Cajon, Santee and Blythe.

Radar showed rainfall rates of 0.75 to 1 inch per hour in parts of the Coachella Valley, including southeastern Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio, Coachella and Rancho Mirage, according to the report.

Rainfall across much of Los Angeles County was forecast to range from about 0.25 to 1 inch, while mountain areas could receive more than 4 inches. Forecasters also warned of possible flash flooding in southern San Bernardino County.

The National Weather Service said heavy rainfall and the resulting runoff remained the primary concerns, particularly in areas vulnerable to rapid flooding.

Why Rachel Is Unusual in California’s Weather History

Rachel’s passage through the region is notable because storms reaching tropical-storm strength in California have been rare in the modern weather record.

The Los Angeles Times reported that only two storms had previously passed through the state at tropical-storm strength. One was the 1939 storm known as El Cordonazo, which brought heavy rain and damaging winds to Southern California. Another was Hurricane Nora in 1997, which affected parts of the Southwest but caused less damage in California than in Baja California.

The report also highlighted a strong El Niño pattern expected during the current season. The climate phenomenon is associated with warmer-than-average ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific and can influence atmospheric circulation, Pacific hurricane activity, and rainfall patterns.

However, the broader climate outlook does not establish that El Niño caused Rachel or the flooding currently affecting Southern California.

With coastal flooding, damaged properties, and inland flash flood threats reported across the region, the immediate concern remains the potential for additional damage as high tides, waves, and rainfall affect vulnerable communities. Residents should follow current local emergency instructions and check the latest National Weather Service alerts for their areas.