# California beaches close as Tropical Storm Rachel floods coast

> Remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel and an oceanic Kelvin wave combine to produce unusually high water levels and major flooding along Southern California's coast.
- Title: California beaches close as Tropical Storm Rachel floods coast
- Summary: Remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel and an oceanic Kelvin wave combine to produce unusually high water levels and major flooding along Southern California's…
- Keywords: tropical storm rachel, newport beach, california, coastal flooding, orange county, el niño, kelvin wave, news, beaches, close, Tropical, Storm
- Source: ABC News — https://abcnews.com/US/california-beaches-forced-close-after-unusually-high-ocean/story?id=137171773
- Author: ABC News
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: tropical storm rachel, newport beach, california, coastal flooding, orange county, el niño, kelvin wave, news
## Storm remnants sweep across West Coast
The remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, along with a separate storm system over the Western United States, continued to sweep across the West on Sunday, fueling flooding in several Southern California coastal communities.
## Rachel made landfall Saturday night
Post-Tropical Storm Rachel made landfall in Baja California Saturday night. Its impact was already being felt along the West Coast as it moved in.
## Ocean swells and Kelvin wave combine
Large ocean swells stirred up by Rachel combined with prolonged swells from an El Niño-enhanced Kelvin wave produced major flooding along Southern California's coast.
## Newport Beach hit hardest since Friday
Newport Beach in Orange County has been experiencing flooding since Friday. Main drags like Balboa Boulevard and numerous adjacent streets have been drenched in floodwaters.
## City declares local emergency Saturday
The City of Newport Beach declared a local emergency on Saturday in response to the flooding. Elevated surf and unusually high ocean water levels are expected to continue through the weekend.

> unusually high ocean water levels
## All Newport Beach beaches and piers closed
All of the city beaches and piers in Newport Beach are closed until further notice. The city advised residents to stay away from these areas due to flooding and hazardous conditions.

> Stay away from these areas. Flooding and hazardous conditions pose serious safety risks.
## Coastal flood warning issued through Tuesday
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning for Orange County beaches starting at three pm on Sunday and continuing through Tuesday afternoon, warning of significant flooding and beach erosion.
## Other cities prepare with sandbags
Other cities along the Southern California coast including Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach and San Clemente were distributing sandbags to the public on Sunday in preparation for possible flooding.
## Key takeaway

Tropical Storm Rachel's remnants combined with an El Niño-enhanced Kelvin wave forced beach closures across Southern California, with Newport Beach declaring a local emergency as flooding continued through the weekend.