Photo: Mario Tama / Getty Images News / Getty Images
The California coast is preparing for a challenging winter as three major threats converge: a powerful El Niño, super king tides, and rising sea levels due to climate change. This combination could lead to record coastal flooding, with officials already observing higher-than-normal tides. Swells have begun eroding beaches, damaging infrastructure, and exposing long-buried coastal structures.
According to Jonathan Warrick, a research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, El Niño is causing the waters off California to warm and rise by up to a foot or more above average. This poses a significant threat to low-lying homes and coastal infrastructure. Over the past 125 years, the average sea level in San Francisco Bay has risen by about one foot, largely attributed to human-caused climate change.
The Los Angeles Times reports that this pattern has occurred before, notably during the strong El Niños of 1982-83 and 1997-98, which resulted in record sea levels in San Francisco Bay. This winter, experts are concerned that the highest sea levels on record could occur, leading to severe coastal erosion and flooding.
Adding to the concern, Daniel Swain, a UC climate scientist, emphasizes the potential for extreme flooding if El Niño brings heavy rains. The combination of high sea levels and king tides, which are expected to peak around Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and January 22, could exacerbate the situation.
Coastal communities such as Mission Beach in San Diego, Newport Beach, and Long Beach are particularly vulnerable. Experts urge these areas to prepare for potential flooding and damage. The California coast has been experiencing a marine heatwave, which, when combined with El Niño, could further impact marine life and ecosystems.