Newport Beach is bracing for further coastal erosion as swells from Hurricane Polo reach Southern California, only weeks after Hurricane Marie stripped large sections of sand from beaches across Orange County.
City crews have been building sand berms along vulnerable stretches of shoreline, while lifeguards are monitoring stronger rip currents and dangerous surf near Balboa Pier. Residents and visitors gathered at the pier on Monday to watch the waves as the latest storm approached.
Forecasters warned that south-facing beaches could see surf of between four and seven feet, coinciding with high tides running almost a foot above normal because of continuing El Niño conditions. The National Weather Service said elevated surf, coastal flooding and hazardous rip currents could persist through Wednesday.
The full impact remains uncertain, but officials said the most vulnerable areas include exposed beaches and low-lying coastal communities. A worst-case scenario could bring damage similar to that caused by Hurricane Marie earlier this month, although forecasters said a less severe outcome was more likely.
“It’s all still beautiful. I do hope when spring rolls around we all got some beach left but we’re just enjoying the day,” one woman visiting Newport Beach said.
Marie’s swell caused severe damage along the Orange County coastline, including steep sand drop-offs near Balboa Pier and the Wedge. The retreating beach exposed rocks, wires, asphalt, a pipe and parts of an old pier that had been buried for decades.
Laguna Beach declared a local state of emergency after losing sand to the earlier swells, while Dana Point took similar action following coastal flooding that battered homes along Beach Road.
Officials in San Clemente are also accelerating work to protect the coastal railway. The Orange County Transportation Authority says erosion has exposed sections of the rail embankment and weakened existing rock protection, increasing the risk to passenger and freight services.
The authority has approved emergency measures including a shoreline protection structure, repairs to existing riprap and the placement of sand at several locations. Its wider emergency programme is expected to replenish about 540,000 cubic yards of sand between North Beach, Mariposa Point and San Clemente State Beach.
Concerns grow over further Orange County erosion
The railway is part of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo corridor, a critical coastal link that has suffered repeated disruption from erosion, landslides, storm surges and high tides.
Longtime residents fear the latest storms could worsen damage that has already reshaped beaches and threatened homes, roads and transport infrastructure.
“I remember 1997, which was a really significant El Niño year and the difficulties that we had to face in southern California, so I’m really concerned about this El Niño and the potential threats it’s going to bring,” one resident told local television.
