Communities along Los Angeles County’s coast, already hit hard by recent rain and high tides – particularly those in areas scarred by recent wildfires — braced themselves as a strong October storm was expected to land in the region on Wednesday, Oct. 21, with forecasters warning of widespread rain, possible thunderstorms and an increasing risk of localized flooding.
“The system,” the National Weather Service said, “is starting to turn the corner and head east, and seems to be on track for a relatively on-time arrival.”
That arrival, NWS said, is expected in L.A. County by the afternoon.
Rainfall totals across much of the county are expected to average about 1.5 inches, forecasters said, with 2 to 3 inches possible in areas where terrain enhances rainfall and in locations hit by thunderstorms.
The NWS has issued a flood watch for the Malibu coast, and eastern and western Santa Monica Mountains, effective Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon. The watch includes Malibu, Malibu Bowl, Pacific Palisades and Topanga.
Marine conditions could also deteriorate Wednesday and Thursday, with thunderstorms and isolated waterspouts possible in coastal waters. The NWS warned that thunderstorms over the ocean could produce lightning, gusty and erratic winds, small hail and choppy seas.
A beach hazards statement remains in effect through late Thursday night for portions of the Los Angeles County coastline, according to the weather service. Elevated surf and dangerous rip currents are expected, with minor beach erosion and tidal overflow possible in low-lying areas.
Because an excessive amount of rain isn’t expected to hit Malibu’s burn scars, city officials say they aren’t worried.
“But we are prepared,” said city spokesperson Matt Meyerhoff, particularly in areas burned by the Palisades and Franklin fires.
The city is also preparing for flooded or debris-covered roads, possible power outages and coastal erosion.
Malibu will put out emergency alerts to local residents through social media and its website to warn people about incoming stormy conditions, Meyerhoff said.
“I think it’s fairly safe to say that we could expect at least some minor debris flow in the area,” said NWS meteorologist Bryan Lewis.
Malibu’s public works crews are monitoring forecasts and prepared to position heavy equipment and concrete barriers in areas where they may be needed. During heavy rain, crews patrol Malibu roads around the clock, and use trucks to clear mud, rocks and other debris, according to the city.
Officials are also watching hillsides and drainage systems, as well as high tides, surf and erosion along the coast. Burn scars can react differently to rainfall, the city said, and officials will rely on more detailed forecasts as the storm draws closer and predictions become more reliable.
Residents along the coast are being urged to check drainage around their properties and take precautions against erosion. Filled sandbags are available to Malibu residents at the Malibu Equestrian Center, unfilled sandbags are available at Los Angeles County fire stations, and both sand and sandbags are available at the main entrance to Zuma Beach.
The city is also urging people to stay off rocks and jetties, and warning inexperienced swimmers and surfers to stay out of the water because of the potentially dangerous surf and rip currents.
In Long Beach, meanwhile, city officials also urged residents to be prepared, as the NWS warned that erosion and tidal overflows were possible on south-facing beaches during high tides.
The city has seen significant impacts from recent storms, specifically in its Peninsula community, as waves have eroded the beach and damaged the historic boardwalk and bulkhead — with swells also battering along the water.
Residents in historically vulnerable, low-lying areas of the city — including the Peninsula, and along Alamitos Bay, Naples Island and Belmont Shore — were warned to be ready for possible flooding.
City crews have conducted inspections and performed maintenance to ensure catch basins in flood-prone areas are clear of debris, and pump stations and seawall plugs are functioning. Protective berms were fortified where possible in vulnerable beach areas.
Long Beach residents can pick up empty sandbags at Fire Station 7, 2295 Elm Ave.; Fire Station 12, 1199 E. Artesia Blvd.; Fire Station 13, 2475 Adriatic Ave.; and at the Claremont Parking Lot, 5400 E. Ocean Blvd. Pre-filled sandbags will will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents with disabilities and other special needs can call 562-570-4765 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Nearby Rancho Palos Verdes was also engaging in “proactive storm prep, including inspecting and clearing catch basins, reinforcing sandbags, having crews actively monitor streets and infrastructure during the rain event, and having pump trucks on call for any potential flooding on Palos Verdes Drive South,” said city spokesperson Megan Barnes.
The city has sandbags for residents at City Hall.
Storms are a particular worry for RPV — because of land movement. .
The city has been plagued with severe land movement exacerbated by severe rainstorms in recent years. During the heavy winter rains of 2022-23 and 2023-24, the city suffered land movement that severely impacted the city’s infrastructure and damaged dozens of homes. Since then, 27 homes in the city have been either red-tagged, which means it was severely damaged and uninhabitable, or yellow-tagged, citing serious damage.
Palos Verdes Drive South, a busy thoroughfare in the city, is also continually being repaired because of the land movement.
On Oct. 14, RPV was awarded $54 million from the federal government to help fund a Voluntary Property Buyout Program, which will allow the city to purchase qualified houses and allow those homeowners to relocate.
Also impacted was the historic landmark Wayfarers Chapel, which has been an iconic destination for weddings and much more for decades. The wood-and-glass chapel, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. and opened in 1951, was dismantled and is now housed in storage until a new permanent location is found. Also, miles of popular park trails were closed and have not opened, and gas and electricity were shut off on multiple homes.
The city estimates it will cost an estimated $75 million by June in land movement-related costs, which RPV is trying to offset with county, state and federal grants, as well as Measure RS on the Nov. 3 ballot. Measure RS, if it passes, would raise the city’s transient occupancy tax from 10% to 13%, raising $2.2 million annually.
RPV has also been using dewatering wells to dry up the Earth. That has been working, with the land movement slowing in recent months, city officials say.
But there are concerns about what El Niño could bring. RPV, like other cities in the region, declared a local emergency in early October and has been readying for months for the predicted El Niño season.
This week could be a first test.
Dry weather, though, is expected to return Friday, followed by another round of offshore Santa Ana winds over the weekend. The NWS said the upcoming Santa Ana event would be weaker than last week’s, with wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph possible, strongest in the mountains.
Temperatures are expected to rebound into the upper 70s and 80s across most coastal and valley areas over the weekend, forecasters said.
Staff writers Ryanne Mena, Teresa Liu, Christina Merino and Mike Hixon contributed to this report, as well as City News Service.