California beach communities confront unusually high tides: "It's very unpredictable"

As of October 28, 2026, record-breaking high tides have caused significant flooding across coastal communities in California. The highest tides ever recorded hit South Florida and California coasts, sending seawater into nearby towns and flooding homes on both coasts. In Southern California, the king tide reached 8 feet, 2 inches in the Los Angeles Harbor, breaking a record set just the day before, causing extensive damage to infrastructure such as roads and storm drains.

The tides have also affected major cities like San Diego, San Francisco, and Newport Beach. Water surged through berms, seawalls, and sandbag blockades, leading to water rescues of drivers trapped in floating cars and residents dealing with flooded homes. In Marin County, north of San Francisco, kayakers were seen navigating through normally busy streets that had turned into temporary lagoons.

Experts predict even worse conditions during full moons in November and December if coupled with winter storms, potentially causing significant problems for coastal communities.