Pacific Coast Highway closed in Huntington Beach during king tides

Pacific Coast Highway was closed in parts of Huntington Beach on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, after a run of very high tides flooded the area. CBS Los Angeles reported flooding in Newport Beach and Long Beach that week [1]. The two outlets do not agree on the exact stretch that was shut, so each account is attributed below.

What happened on the highway

CBS Los Angeles reported that PCH was completely closed between Seapoint Street and Seal Beach Boulevard in south Huntington Beach after ocean water flooded the area [1]. CBS also reported that Sunset Beach residents said they had never seen flooding this bad on Monday, October 26, and that several homes along Bayview Drive flooded that day, where parts of Pacific Coast Highway were also affected [1].

The Orange County Tribune gave different limits. It reported that PCH was closed in Seal Beach from Seal Beach Boulevard to Warner Avenue on Tuesday. It also reported that the City of Huntington Beach closed the road between Warner Avenue and Anderson Street until noon, and that Caltrans closed the northbound lanes between Seapoint Street and Warner Avenue [2]. Travelers were told to "use alternate routes" [2].

Marine Safety staff rescued several drivers whose cars stalled in rising water, and motorists were warned not to drive through flooded roads [2]. In Newport Beach, CBS reported that the city recorded its highest-ever tide, 8.4 feet, on the second day in a row [1]. A tattoo parlor owner along PCH told CBS, "This hasn't happened since 2005" [1].

Why the water rose so high

Local outlets are calling these events king tides [1]. The Orange County Tribune explains that king tides occur when the moon's gravitational pull aligns with the sun's, creating ocean tides higher than usual [2].

NOAA describes high tide flooding as "increasingly common flooding conditions along the coast" [4]. The agency lists rising sea levels, sinking land and the loss of natural barriers as causes. Changes in prevailing winds, shifts in ocean currents and strong tidal forces can also cause high tide flooding, which NOAA says can inundate streets even on sunny days. Full and new moon tides are among those strong tidal forces [4].

NOAA rates flooding by how far water rises above average high tide. Minor flooding starts at about 1.8 feet, moderate at about 2.8 feet and major at about 3.9 feet [4]. The agency also reports that high tide flooding is now twice as frequent in U.S. coastal communities as it was 20 years ago [4].

The National Weather Service's Los Angeles office describes the same kind of impact. Its coastal flooding story warns of "shallow flooding of seawater over low lying beach & harbor areas including walkways, bike paths, and parking lots" [3].

What comes next

CBS reported that the National Weather Service warned Tuesday's conditions could be worse than Monday's. Newport Beach officials warned that similar conditions were expected on Wednesday, with more potential flooding [1]. The city had already declared a local emergency and activated its Emergency Operations Center ahead of the upcoming king tides, according to a headline on its news page dated October 19, 2026 [5].

The Orange County Tribune says the highest tides are expected on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It gives a high tide of 6.5 feet at 11:07 a.m. on Thursday and 6.07 feet at 12:02 p.m. on Friday [2]. The National Weather Service says coastal flooding impacts "may extend into the weekend" [3].

CBS also reported a coastal flood advisory for beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties until 1 p.m. Thursday, with minor to moderate flooding expected in most low-lying areas [1].

The sources we opened give no reopening time for PCH in Huntington Beach, and none says when the closures will end.