Newport Beach has been rocked by the ocean in 2026. El Niño has delivered both relentless surf and kelvin waves that are combining to speed up the coastal erosion many saw coming for years. We’ve seen this play out most visibly in the surfing world, or at least the most publicized, at the Wedge, and recently with flooding throughout the Balboa Peninsula.
Just two weeks ago, the combination of high surf and storm activity prompted the city to close the Newport Pier, Balboa Pier and the Wedge to the public. We’ve watched city crews and contractors build protective berms to mitigate the flooding however possible. And now the city has to combat yet another environmental curve ball: king tides.
On Tuesday, the City of Newport Beach announced that city council had declared a local emergency ahead of the October 26-28 king tides. The declaration activates an emergency response center which will coordinate flood prevention and crisis response. They also announced the approval of the West Newport Beach Sand Replenishment Project, bringing 100,000 cubic yards of sand from the nearby Santa Ana River mouth to replenish eroded beach areas.
“City crews are also reinforcing protective sand berms, preparing pumps and tide valves and positioning resources in flood-prone areas,” the city said. “With ocean water levels already running higher than predicted, residents in low-lying and waterfront areas are strongly encouraged to take precautions now to protect their homes, vehicles and property.”
The late-October king tides are predicted to hit the range of about 6.5 feet and potentially as high as 8.5 feet. November will bring a five-day stretch of king tides over Thanksgiving week, with predicted high tides starting between 6.5 feet and seven feet, and potential high tides as high as 8.8 feet. The final king tide of 2026 will come over Christmas week, from December 22 to December 26. Once again, those are expected to be even higher, with predicted high tides between 6.6 feet and 7.2 feet, with potential high tides reaching nine feet on Christmas Eve.
“For Newport Beach, this combination is particularly important in low-lying areas, especially along the Peninsula and Balboa Island, where elevated water levels can affect streets, homes, businesses, waterfront and other low-lying properties,” city officials say.
