Kelvin Wave Threatens Southern California With 6-Inch Sea-Level Rise as El Niño Odds Hit 98%
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Sep 14
Kelvin Wave Threatens Southern California With 6-Inch Sea-Level Rise as El Niño Odds Hit 98%
3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Sep 14
Summary
Southern California is bracing for a coastally trapped Kelvin wave expected to reach San Diego in early October and lift sea levels by about 6 inches for months.
The wave is tied to a powerful El Niño and is now moving up Mexico’s coast; forecasters say there is a 98% chance the event will be “very strong” through December.
That extra water could worsen flooding and erosion already battering the coast after Hurricane Marie swells damaged homes from south Orange County to Malibu and threatened Metrolink tracks in San Clemente.
Laguna Beach, Dana Point and Carlsbad have declared local emergencies, and Orange County has activated its emergency operations center as cities assess sand loss and shoreline damage.
Scientists say coastally trapped Kelvin waves can raise sea levels by 6 to 12 inches, amplifying storm and high-tide impacts along a California coast already about 1 foot higher than 125 years ago.
With a historic Kelvin wave approaching, will Southern California's emergency coastal repairs hold, or is catastrophic infrastructure failure inevitable?
Beyond devastating floods, what hidden ecological disasters will this unprecedented El Nino trigger beneath California's warming coastal waters?
As sea levels surge and rail lines crumble, is it time for California to abandon its iconic coastline rather than endlessly rebuild?