Did you think we’d have a break from the meteorological madness this season? Cute. A triple threat is coming for California, and apropos, in time for Halloween.
A massive Pacific moisture plume, exceptionally high tides, and incoming surf are converging around Southern California this upcoming, specifically spooky, weekend. And after months of coastal erosion, flooding, and monster waves, it’s been nonstop.
Here’s what’s coming.
Pineapple Express: A River in the Sky
Forecast models show an enormous ribbon of Pacific moisture approaching California.
The phenomenon resembles the Pineapple Express, a type of atmospheric river that taps tropical moisture near Hawaii and transports it thousands of miles toward the West Coast.
NOAA describes atmospheric rivers as “relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere” that carry enormous amounts of water vapor.
When that moisture reaches land, it can unleash tremendous rainfall.
The National Weather Service expects widespread Southern California rain Saturday, October 31, into Sunday, November 1, with approximately an inch possible south of Point Conception and higher totals in the foothills.
Forecasters caution that timing and intensity remain uncertain, with a 20–30 percent chance of double those rainfall totals.
King Tides: The Ocean Starts Higher
Meanwhile, unusually high tides have already wreaked havoc along California’s coastline. As SURFER has previously reported, the king tides combined with the El Niño-fueled Kelvin wave have been causing coastal chaos in Southern California.
King tides occur when the gravitational alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth produces exceptionally high astronomical tides.
But this year, there’s another complication: the El Niño Kelvin wave.
Newport Beach officials reported ocean levels running 15–22 inches above predictions, allowing water to spill into streets, garages, and homes. Long Beach’s boardwalks have been swallowed. And severe coastal erosion has been unfolding in Laguna Beach.
Multiple cities have declared local emergencies, deploying, sandbags, and protective berms.
Tuesday’s high tide in Newport Beach is expected to reach a record-breaking 8.5 feet.
Fortunately, the highest tides in this particular cycle occur October 26–28, before Halloween weekend’s anticipated rainfall.
Related: King Tides Pummel California’s Battered Coast as Super El Niño Surges (Video)
El Niño Surf: More Waves Incoming
And, naturally, there’s more swell on the way.
According to Surfline’s latest California outlook, the South Pacific remains active while the North Pacific begins awakening for winter.
Another long-period southwest swell is forecast for late October, with increasing opportunities for west and northwest swell as the season progresses.
Nothing resembling the monstrous hurricane swells California experienced earlier this month—at least not yet.
But even modest surf can become destructive when unusually elevated water levels allow waves to reach previously protected areas.
Rain from above. High water below. And more swell on the horizon.
Happy Halloween, California.
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