NOAA Hurricane Hunters capture footage from inside Hurricane Polo
NOAA Hurricane Hunters captured footage from inside Hurricane Polo during a research mission.
Beach communities in Los Angeles County and across Southern California are bracing for flooding on Monday, Sept. 28, as Hurricane Polo and Post-Tropical Cyclone Odalys threaten areas previously battered by waves earlier in the month.
Hurricane Polo is expected to approach the west coast of the Baja California peninsula as a hurricane on Monday, according to a National Hurricane Center forecast. It is likely sending the more powerful swell that’ll affect the region, coinciding with high tides that reach around 7 feet due to a major El Niño, according to the National Weather Service Los Angeles.
Earlier in September, beachfront homes and coastal communities suffered damage due to strong waves fueled by Hurricane Marie. In Long Beach, residents in the Peninsula and Belmont Shore neighborhoods were advised to prepare for high tides and swell activity forecasted through midweek. It’s among the areas of “most concern,” according to the NWS Los Angeles.
This comes as meteorologists track the newly formed Tropical Storm Rachel — and what it means for Southern California.
Here’s what to know.
See LA County forecast due to Odalys, Polo impacts
The risk of flooding across Southern California’s coastal areas and beach erosion is “high” Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 29, according to the NWS.
The timing of the waves fueled by these storms will “likely line up” with high tides in the late morning of Monday and Tuesday, according to the NWS Los Angeles. Moderate flooding is especially likely for low-lying coastal areas around the time of high tide. Beach erosion is also likely.
Residents and beachgoers are urged to stay out of the water because of dangerous rip currents and breaking waves of 4 to 7 feet Monday and Tuesday, according to the NWS Los Angeles.
NWS identifies cities of ‘most concern’
South-facing beaches are among the areas of most concern, with the highest risks for Long Beach’s Peninsula and Belmont Shore neighborhoods, Malibu and Avalon on Catalina Island, according to the NWS.
Tropical Storm Rachel brews in the Pacific. What does it mean?
Tropical Storm Rachel in the eastern Pacific Ocean is expected to become a hurricane later this week, according to the National Hurricane Center. Assuming its northwest track holds, any potential coastal flood impacts would come after Oct. 4, NWS Los Angeles said.
Where is Hurricane Polo? See tracker
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com.