Southern California coastal flood warning, October 2026: king tides in Orange and San Diego counties

The National Weather Service has a Coastal Flood Warning for the entire Orange County and San Diego County coastline from 5 a.m. Sunday, October 25, to 1 p.m. Thursday, October 29, 2026, during the morning high tides. NWS San Diego expects significant coastal flooding, with tides 1 to 1.7 feet above the predicted astronomical tide, and says low-lying property, including homes, businesses and some critical infrastructure, will be inundated and numerous roads may be closed. Farther north, a Coastal Flood Advisory covers the Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo county coasts for the same period. This is tidal flooding, not a storm: NWS San Diego notes that surf will not be elevated. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover the damage seawater can do.

This page reflects NWS warnings and forecast discussions and NOAA tide gauge data as of about 2:30 p.m. PDT on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Warnings can be extended, upgraded or cancelled, so check NWS San Diego or NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard before each morning high tide.

What does the coastal flood warning say?

NWS San Diego issued the warning at 11:03 a.m. PDT on Friday, October 23, for the zones it calls San Diego County Coastal Areas and Orange County Coastal Areas. The key points, quoted from the product (NWS San Diego coastal hazard message):

• What: "Significant coastal flooding expected."
• When: "From 5 AM Sunday to 1 PM PDT Thursday during high tides." High tides each day will occur in the morning.
• Impacts: "Numerous roads may be closed. Low lying property including homes, businesses, and some critical infrastructure will be inundated." Some shoreline erosion will occur in the morning hours.
• How high: "Tides may be anywhere from 1 to 1.7 feet above predicted."

In its forecast discussion issued at 11:30 a.m. PDT on Saturday, NWS San Diego said morning high tides were just over 7 feet on Saturday and are likely to exceed 7.5 or even 8 feet starting Monday morning, and that "these will be near if not record-breaking tides" even though surf will not be elevated. (NWS San Diego Area Forecast Discussion) Tide heights in NWS products are measured above Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW), the average of each day's lowest tide.

What about Los Angeles, Ventura and the Central Coast?

NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard has a Coastal Flood Advisory, one step below a warning, from 5 a.m. Sunday to 1 p.m. Thursday for the Los Angeles County beaches, Malibu coast, Ventura County beaches, the Santa Barbara County coast and the San Luis Obispo County beaches. It expects late-morning high tides of 7.5 to 8.0 feet above MLLW, which is 1.0 to 1.5 feet above the astronomical prediction, with the highest tides Monday through Wednesday. It describes minor to moderate flooding of beach parking lots, bike paths and harbor walkways, moderate to significant beach erosion, and possible isolated damage to the most vulnerable structures. (NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard coastal hazard message, 3:28 a.m. PDT October 24)

The office's forecast discussion says Monday through Wednesday could produce the highest tide on record at San Pedro, where the current record is 7.93 feet set on January 10, 2005, in records going back to 1924. It adds a small chance of targeted Coastal Flood Warnings Wednesday or Thursday if a larger south swell arrives on top of the high tides. (NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard Area Forecast Discussion) In Northern California, NWS San Francisco has a separate Coastal Flood Advisory through Thursday afternoon for the San Francisco Bay shoreline and Monterey Bay, with up to 1.9 feet of inundation possible in low-lying areas. (NWS San Francisco Bay Area coastal hazard message)

Why are the tides so high this week?

The astronomical tides are already near their highest of the year. NOAA explains that the highest "king tides" occur when a new or full moon lines up with the moon's closest approach to Earth (perigee). (NOAA, What is a king tide?) This week has both: a full moon on October 25 and 26 and perigee on October 28, as NWS noted in its October 24 forecast discussions for the same king tide cycle on the Atlantic coast. (NWS Jacksonville forecast discussion) On top of that, water levels in Southern California have been running well above the predicted tide. NOAA describes high tide flooding as increasingly common along U.S. coasts because of rising sea levels, sinking land and the loss of natural barriers. (NOAA, high tide flooding)

How high was the water on Saturday morning?

Provisional NOAA tide gauge readings on Saturday, October 24, a day before the warning begins, already ran about 1.4 to 1.5 feet above the predicted tide:

• San Diego Bay, station 9410170: 7.80 feet above MLLW at 8:18 a.m. PDT, against a predicted 6.27 feet. NOAA lists the NWS minor flood threshold at this gauge at about 7.5 feet above MLLW. (NOAA station 9410170)
• Los Angeles (San Pedro), station 9410660: 7.33 feet above MLLW at 8:18 a.m. PDT, against a predicted 5.95 feet. (NOAA station 9410660)
• La Jolla, station 9410230: 7.21 feet above MLLW at 8:18 a.m. PDT, against a predicted 5.73 feet. (NOAA station 9410230)

These are preliminary, unverified data from NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services and may be revised.

When are the morning high tides?

The table shows NOAA's predicted astronomical high tides (feet above MLLW, Pacific Daylight Time) for the morning of each warning day. NWS expects the actual water level to run about 1 to 1.7 feet higher than these predictions in Orange and San Diego counties, and 1.0 to 1.5 feet higher on the Los Angeles County coast. Flooding is most likely in the hour or two around each peak.

Morning	San Diego Bay	La Jolla	Newport Beach (bay entrance)	Los Angeles (San Pedro)
Sunday, Oct. 25	6.7 ft at 8:48 a.m.	6.1 ft at 8:43 a.m.	6.2 ft at 8:45 a.m.	6.4 ft at 8:48 a.m.
Monday, Oct. 26	7.0 ft at 9:18 a.m.	6.4 ft at 9:13 a.m.	6.5 ft at 9:15 a.m.	6.7 ft at 9:18 a.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 27	7.1 ft at 9:51 a.m.	6.6 ft at 9:47 a.m.	6.7 ft at 9:50 a.m.	6.8 ft at 9:52 a.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 28	7.0 ft at 10:29 a.m.	6.5 ft at 10:26 a.m.	6.6 ft at 10:28 a.m.	6.7 ft at 10:31 a.m.
Thursday, Oct. 29	6.7 ft at 11:13 a.m.	6.3 ft at 11:11 a.m.	6.3 ft at 11:14 a.m.	6.5 ft at 11:16 a.m.

Sources: NOAA tide predictions for San Diego 9410170, La Jolla 9410230, Newport Beach 9410580 and Los Angeles 9410660, retrieved October 24, 2026.

Does homeowners insurance cover tidal flooding?

No. FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program says most homeowners and renters policies do not cover flood damage, and only a flood policy pays to repair it. (FloodSmart, buy a policy) Seawater pushed onto a street or into a garage by a king tide is flood damage. Our explainer on storm surge vs. flooding covers how insurers sort water damage.

A flood policy bought now will not cover this week's tides. FloodSmart says NFIP coverage generally takes effect 30 days after purchase, with limited exceptions. (FloodSmart) The rules are in our guide to the NFIP waiting period. Condo owners should check what the association's master flood policy covers; see condo flood insurance.

What should coastal homeowners do before the morning high tides?

1. Know when the peak arrives at your beach. Use the table above or the nearest NOAA tide station, and plan around roughly 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. each day from Sunday through Thursday.
2. Move cars, bikes and stored items out of low garages, alleys, beach parking lots and harbor-side lots before the tide comes in. NWS tells residents to "take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property."
3. Do not drive or walk through flooded streets. NWS says not to drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth. (NWS flood safety)
4. Photograph your property now, including the seawall, dock, garage and ground-floor contents, so any later claim is easier to document.
5. Find your flood policy number and your insurer's claim line.

What should you do if seawater gets into the house?

1. Report the claim quickly. FloodSmart says to start a flood claim as soon as possible after a flood (FloodSmart, start a claim), and the NFIP claims checklist says your insurer will assign an adjuster to contact you within 48 hours of reporting the loss.
2. Document before you clean. Photograph the water line and damage, and do not discard anything before the adjuster sees it unless it is a health hazard or local law requires disposal. (NFIP claims checklist)
3. Dry out quickly. See mold after flooding.
4. Send your documentation within 60 days of the flood, or within the timeframe your adjuster gives you, as the NFIP claims checklist says. For flooding on October 26, 2026, day 60 is December 25, 2026.

The full process is in our flood insurance claim guide. For the longer-term picture, see flood risk for homes in California, the San Diego home risk profile and the Los Angeles home risk profile. The same king tide cycle is also flooding the Atlantic coast; see Florida and Georgia coastal flood warnings.

Quick answers

Which areas are under the coastal flood warning?

NWS San Diego's Coastal Flood Warning covers the coastal areas of Orange County and San Diego County from 5 a.m. Sunday, October 25, to 1 p.m. Thursday, October 29, 2026. The Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo county coasts are under a Coastal Flood Advisory for the same period.

When is the flooding most likely?

Around the morning high tide each day, roughly 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. PDT, with the highest tides expected Monday through Wednesday, October 26 to 28.

Is a storm causing this?

No. The flooding comes from very high astronomical tides near the full moon and lunar perigee, with water running 1 to 1.7 feet above prediction. NWS San Diego says surf will not be elevated.

Will homeowners insurance pay for king tide flooding?

No. Standard homeowners and renters policies exclude flood damage, including seawater from high tides. Only a flood insurance policy covers it, and a new NFIP policy generally has a 30-day waiting period.

Sources

• National Weather Service coastal hazard messages: San Diego (11:03 a.m. PDT October 23, 2026), Los Angeles/Oxnard (3:28 a.m. PDT October 24, 2026), San Francisco Bay Area (1:34 p.m. PDT October 24, 2026)
• National Weather Service Area Forecast Discussions, October 24, 2026: San Diego (11:30 a.m. PDT), Los Angeles/Oxnard, Jacksonville (lunar dates)
• NOAA Tides and Currents, provisional water levels, predictions and flood thresholds retrieved October 24, 2026: San Diego 9410170, La Jolla 9410230, Newport Beach 9410580, Los Angeles 9410660
• NOAA National Ocean Service: What is a king tide?; What is high tide flooding?
• FEMA NFIP: Buy a flood insurance policy (coverage, 30-day waiting period); How to start a flood insurance claim; NFIP claims checklist
• National Weather Service, flood safety