Post-tropical storm Rachel causes coastal flooding in Southern California

The remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, moved over land early Sunday morning, bringing coastal flooding, high winds, and inland flash flooding to Southern California and the Desert Southwest. The storm, which made landfall south of the U.S.-Mexico border on Saturday night, triggered a Level 3 of 4 threat of flooding rainfall for areas including southern Nevada, southwest Utah, and northwest Arizona.

Coastal Flooding and Evacuations

Coastal communities faced significant threats from high tides and surf. A coastal flood warning was in effect from the Malibu coast and Los Angeles County beaches to coastal San Diego County until Sunday afternoon. The National Hurricane Center stated that "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" were likely along the coasts of Southern California and northern Baja California through Monday.

In Long Beach, Mayor Rex Richardson issued warnings to residents, noting that eight structures along the coast were already red-tagged from impacts of a high tide on Friday. The city issued a mandatory evacuation order for homes on Seaside Walk between 64th and 66th Place. Long Beach Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan said crews distributed more than 11,000 sandbags in anticipation of Sunday's tides. "We've seen so much damage and we expect even more," Buchanan said.

Newport Beach officials declared a local emergency after high tides inundated 15 to 20 blocks on the Balboa Peninsula on Friday. Newport Beach City Manager Seimone Jurjis said contractors were using heavy equipment to rebuild and reinforce protective sand berms. "Our goal is to reinforce as many vulnerable locations as possible before the next high tide," Jurjis said.

Rainfall and Wind Conditions

San Diego and Las Vegas could see an inch or more of rainfall, which is about double the usual October total for San Diego and triple for Las Vegas. In Los Angeles County, up to 2 inches were expected in the San Gabriel Mountains, while totals were limited to about 0.25 inches or less elsewhere. Rainfall totals nearing 0.5 inches were expected in parts of Orange County, and up to 2 inches in San Bernardino County.

Peak wind gusts in and around San Diego were expected to range from 20 to 40 mph in lower elevations to 50 to 60 mph in the mountains. Inland across the Desert Southwest, wind gusts between 45 to 65 mph were expected in parts of Arizona, southern Nevada, and Utah.

Background Conditions

Coastal water levels had already been running unusually high in California due in part to a near-record strong super El Niño event in the tropical Pacific. "Major coastal flooding has already been occurring in some areas, with observed water levels running as much as 1.5 feet above predictions," the Hurricane Center stated. San Diego was under a tropical storm watch on Saturday for only the second time on record, the first being for Hurricane Hilary in 2023.

Why it matters

The storm highlights the vulnerability of Southern California's coastline to extreme weather events, exacerbated by El Niño conditions and rising sea levels. The combination of high tides, heavy rainfall, and strong winds poses significant risks to infrastructure and public safety, necessitating evacuations and emergency preparations in multiple cities.

---

Sources

• edition.cnn.com: Post-tropical storm lashing southwest with coastal flooding, heavy rain and strong winds | CNN
• cbsnews.com: Southern California endures coastal flooding, high tides and rain as Rachel's potentially destructive impacts arrive - CBS Los Angeles
• sfchronicle.com: Rachel arrives, set to bring more damage to Southern California
• koamnewsnow.com: Post-tropical storm lashing southwest with coastal flooding, heavy rain and strong winds | Weather | koamnewsnow.com
• modernghana.com: Waves crash into homes as excavators try to protect California properties

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.