The remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel brought significant rainfall and coastal flooding to the Southwestern United States over the weekend, with impacts felt in Southern California and extending into Nevada and parts of the Great Basin. Although Rachel weakened from tropical storm status by Sunday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that hazardous coastal conditions would persist through at least Tuesday.
As Rachel moved inland early Sunday, with sustained winds of about 35 mph roughly 255 miles north-northeast of San Diego, coastal areas from San Diego to San Luis Obispo experienced elevated tides, strong surf, and flooding. The storm’s combination of low atmospheric pressure and warm ocean water contributed to high tides that worsened erosion and flooding along south-facing beaches. Officials reported life-threatening surf and rip currents, with waves expected to coincide with high tides already above predicted levels.
Among the hardest-hit areas was the Long Beach Peninsula, where ocean waves caused partial collapse of beachfront homes. A yellow two-story oceanfront house on Seaside Walk was engulfed by seawater that damaged its deck and balconies, leading to structural concerns noted by local fire department lifeguards. Nearby homes suffered similar damage, including collapsing wooden decks and cracks in walls. The city worked quickly to build a sand berm along the peninsula to slow further water intrusion, though some residents expressed skepticism about the temporary nature of these efforts. Longtime resident Jon Cortez voiced concern that without permanent barriers like reinforced seawalls, future storms—especially amid an anticipated active El Niño season—could cause more severe damage.
Flooding also affected infrastructure outside coastal zones. Near Palm Desert in the Coachella Valley, rockslides and mudflows blocked lanes of California State Route 74, complicating travel. Las Vegas set a rainfall record for October 11, recording 1.08 inches of rain by midmorning Sunday, with more precipitation expected through the day.
In Newport Beach, widespread flooding from high tides earlier in the weekend subsided by Sunday as water levels receded. City crews continued reinforcing several-foot-high sand berms to protect homes from waves, efforts appreciated by residents like Ross Stewart and Shauna Parisi, who noted the city’s round-the-clock response to restore the area and prepare for ongoing coastal risks.
Despite the subsiding storm, meteorologists cautioned that lingering showers, gusty winds, and coastal flooding hazards would continue through midweek. The National Hurricane Center emphasized that Rachel’s rainfall could reach 1 to 3 inches across Southern California and the Southwest, with some areas receiving up to 5 inches, and that active surf conditions were expected along the coast.
Local authorities and residents remain vigilant as they prepare for further impacts from residual storm effects and the longer-term threat posed by the approaching El Niño weather pattern, which forecasters say could increase the frequency and intensity of storms in the region in the coming months.