The city of Newport Beach declared a local state of emergency after seawater surged onto streets and properties in the Balboa Peninsula community Friday morning.
A city advisory has been put in place asking residents and visitors to avoid the Balboa Peninsula “due to street flooding caused by recent storms and high tides.” Teams are on site to respond to affected areas, the city said.
“It’s absolutely brutal out there, unfortunately. We have some sections of the beach that have come up, where the tides have come up into our streets and into our homes,” said Newport Beach City Council member Erik Weigand.
He said the communities of The Wedge and 51st Street also experienced flooding, as well as an area between 12th Street and 17th Street. High tide arrived around 8:50 a.m., returning at 9:13 p.m.
“These Kelvin waves are real,” Weigand said. “It’s not a wave like you would see with swell, but it is a tidal surge, and we expect it to be 20 inches larger than what the high tides projected.”
The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flooding advisory, which remains in effect through Tuesday.
Each high tide is expected to be higher than normal, especially on south-facing beaches, such as parts of Newport, Long Beach, Dana Point and Laguna Beach.
CBS LA 
Flooding risks are highest Sunday, with tides likely 1 to 1 ½ feet above astronomical tide charts, according to the NWS.
Aerial footage over the Balboa Peninsula showed people walking barefoot on sidewalks and streets, some knee-deep in rain boots and vehicles nearly half submerged.
“Do not drive through flooded streets. Use alternate routes, exercise caution and follow the instructions of public safety personnel,” the City of Newport Beach wrote in a statement.
Newport Beach Fire Department Chief Jeff Boyles advised the community not to drive, walk or bike in water, as some areas along Balboa Boulevard are submerged in nearly 2 feet of water.
“We are prepared and we already know that on Sunday morning it will probably be a little worse with the higher tide and larger swells expected,” Boyles said. “We are experiencing unprecedented floods…”
CBS LA 
Free sandbags
The city provides free sandbags at its Corporation Yard at 592 Superior Ave. For more information, click on this link.
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