What this week’s Beach Hazards Statement means for San Diego

Based on the National Weather Service statement issued 9:29 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. Alerts can change; check NWS San Diego for the latest.

If you’ve noticed the water creeping higher than usual at the beach or along the bay this week, you’re not imagining it. The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued a Beach Hazards Statement for the San Diego County and Orange County coasts through 2 p.m. Thursday, warning of elevated high tides of 6.5 to 7 feet and surf of 3 to 6 feet, with sets to 7 feet. NWS says the impacts are minor coastal flooding and beach erosion, and its advice is simple: stay out of the water.

What the alert says

Here’s what NWS San Diego put in the statement:

• What: Elevated high tides of 6.5 to 7 feet through Thursday, with surf of 3 to 6 feet and sets to 7 feet.
• Where: San Diego County and Orange County coastal areas.
• When: Through Thursday afternoon. The statement is in effect until 2 p.m. Thursday.
• Impacts: Minor coastal flooding and beach erosion.
• Swell: A south swell from 190 degrees, about 3 feet with a 15- to 17-second period, through Thursday. NWS says a moderate-period south swell from the same direction will continue into next week.

In its forecast discussion Tuesday night, NWS also warned of strong rip currents and said late-morning high tides near 6.5 feet will continue through Thursday. After Thursday’s morning high tide, it expects tides to fall below 6.5 feet, reducing the threat of coastal flooding.

Separately, NWS has issued a Heat Advisory for the San Diego County coast from 10 a.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Saturday, with temperatures in the upper 80s to mid 90s. A warm weekend could pull more people to the beach just as the surf is still running.

Why the water looks higher than the tide chart

NOAA’s tide gauge in San Diego Bay shows the water has been running about a foot above the official tide predictions since Sunday. Its preliminary readings put the day’s highest water at 7.85 feet Sunday, 7.73 feet Monday and 7.32 feet Tuesday, measured from the average lower low water mark. The predicted highs were about 6.5, 6.4 and 6.1 feet.

Sunday’s and Monday’s peaks topped the 7.6-foot level NOAA lists as minor flooding at that gauge. NOAA’s tide tables predict lower highs the rest of the week: 5.8 feet Wednesday and 5.5 feet Thursday. That’s why NWS’s 6.5- to 7-foot forecast is higher than the printed tide tables. The NWS statement doesn’t say what is pushing the water above the predictions.

Is this typical?

Pretty much. TrulySD counted alerts in the National Weather Service’s records, as archived by Iowa State University’s Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Over the 10 years from 2016 through 2025, NWS San Diego issued 10 to 31 Beach Hazards Statements a year for the San Diego County coast, or about 17 a year on average.

They show up in every month, but winter is the busiest season. December through February accounted for about a third of the statements over that decade. This is the third Beach Hazards Statement for the San Diego County coast this October.

Farther up the coast, NWS Los Angeles, which covers the coasts of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, issued 16 to 37 Beach Hazards Statements a year over the same period.

The bigger change this year is coastal flooding alerts. Coastal Flood Advisories for the San Diego County coast went from zero to three a year over the past decade to seven so far in 2026, plus one Coastal Flood Warning. This week’s alert is a Beach Hazards Statement, not a Coastal Flood Advisory.

See the low-lying spots

The map shows the area covered by the alert, plus three stretches of coast where NOAA’s flood mapping shows low ground that water can reach when tides run about a foot above a normal high tide, roughly what NWS is forecasting this week. Tap a place in the list to zoom in to an overhead satellite view. Switch to Street map for street names.

• Alert area: NWS’s San Diego County coastal zone
• Susceptible low-lying areas: where NOAA’s model maps water at about 1 foot above a normal high tide. This is not actual flooding.
• NOAA tide gauge, San Diego Bay

Shading covers only the three areas listed below; other low spots exist along the coast. NOAA’s model shows still water and doesn’t account for waves, so surf can push water farther. It isn’t meant for decisions about a specific property.

If you live, work or park in a low-lying area

These tips come from the County of San Diego’s emergency preparedness site, AlertSanDiego, and from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).

• Get alerts on your phone. Landlines get county emergency calls automatically. Cell phones and email only get them if you register with AlertSanDiego. The county also has the SD Emergency app.
• Stay out of floodwater. Don’t walk, swim or drive through it, and never drive through barricades. Cal OES’s rule: “Turn around, don’t drown.” Floodwater can carry sewage, chemicals and debris. If it touches your skin, wash with soap and water.
• Get ready before the late-morning high tide. Cal OES suggests keeping storm drains clear, moving valuables to higher floors, keeping tarps and sandbags on hand, and knowing your best way out.
• Free sandbags are available. County, Cal Fire and many city sites hand out free sand and bags, including Coronado, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, Oceanside, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Encinitas and San Diego. Bring a shovel and call ahead to make sure the site still has supplies. Many city sites limit residents to about 10 bags and require ID. Find a location. The county notes that sandbags redirect water but won’t seal it out.
• Check your coverage. Both the county and Cal OES point out that standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage.
• Report flooding or blocked drains. In unincorporated areas, use the county’s road service request or call the 24-hour line at (858) 565-5262. In a city, contact that city’s public works department.
• If water gets inside, Cal OES says to photograph the damage for your insurer before cleanup and to dry things out within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold.

At the beach

NWS’s main advice is to stay out of the water. Cal OES notes that when waves are 2 to 3 feet or higher, you’re likely to find strong rip currents. If you go in anyway, swim near a lifeguard and follow lifeguards’ instructions. If a rip current catches you, don’t fight it: float, swim parallel to shore to get out of it, and wave and yell for help. If someone else is in trouble, get a lifeguard or call 9-1-1, and throw them something that floats. Don’t go in after them yourself.

More from TrulySD: why San Diego’s beaches are shrinking, Tropical Storm Rachel’s weekend in San Diego, San Diego’s tropical storm history and our pre-storm home checklist.