Long Beach officials are scrambling to repair storm-battered coastline before the next round of dangerous surf arrives, as a rapidly intensifying El Niño system raises the odds of further flooding and destructive waves this winter.
City leaders on Friday laid out a recovery plan for the Peninsula, where powerful surf from Tropical Storm Rachel destroyed homes and infrastructure. Seven homes remain red-tagged, down from eight, though officials still don’t know how many will ultimately need to be demolished.
“We’re now shifting into preparing for the next storm while we recover from the impacts of Rachel,” Mayor Rex Richardson said.
The urgency is tied to a developing El Niño pattern that meteorologists say could become one of the strongest on record. Climate scientist Daniel Swain wrote in an Oct. 12 analysis for Weather West that the system is already among the strongest by several measures and could intensify further as winter approaches. Forecasters have also detected what they describe as a “second arm” of heated water extending from South America, based on new images from Senamhi, Peru’s national meteorological and hydrological service.
“I think that this year’s El Niño event is likely to be the strongest in 1,000 years if the latest models of its peak prove accurate,” climate scientist Zeke Hausfather told the Daily Mail.
In Long Beach, the timing adds pressure. King tides are expected around Thanksgiving, and officials are working to reinforce the Peninsula’s damaged coastline before then. The developing El Niño pattern, combined with powerful oceanic Kelvin waves that can temporarily raise sea levels by up to 12 inches, is increasing the risk of coastal flooding when high surf coincides with high tides.
Statewide Preparations
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency last month in anticipation of what his office called a potentially record-breaking El Niño.
“The emerging El Niño event is already breaking records, and forecasters expect it to continue to strengthen, potentially becoming the strongest in recorded history,” Newsom’s office said.
The emergency declaration doesn’t guarantee California will be hit by major storms, but a stronger El Niño raises the likelihood of heavy rain, flooding, powerful waves and coastal erosion statewide.
State emergency officials say they are trying to get ahead of the threat rather than wait for storms to arrive.
“We are not waiting for this season’s storms to be on our doorstep,” said Caroline Thomas Jacobs, director of the California Office of Emergency Services. “By planning early and coordinating resources ahead of El Niño, we are working to ensure communities and first responders have the personnel, equipment, and support they need to prepare for severe weather, respond quickly when conditions change, and protect lives and property across California.”
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