Retrospective coverage for October 20, 2026. First published October 26, 2026 06:07 -07:00 (Pacific time). This is an AI-assisted brief compiled from linked public source records; the coverage date is not the publication date.
A strong El Niño can raise coastal water levels without guaranteeing an unusually rainy winter in San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography explained in an article published Oct. 20. Researchers pointed to 2015–16, when a strong event coincided with below-average Southern California rainfall. Scripps explainer.
The coastal warning involves several factors acting together. El Niño can temporarily elevate sea levels, while large waves and high tides can compound flooding and erosion risks. Scripps identified upcoming unusually high tides around Oct. 24, Nov. 24 and Dec. 24 as periods to watch.
Local ocean observations already showed exceptional warmth. Scripps Pier had recorded 53 daily temperature records during 2026, and the Torrey Pines buoy had exceeded 80 daily records, according to the article. The Scripps tide gauge recorded its highest monthly mean water level in September.
Those measurements describe conditions already observed; winter rainfall remained a forecast question rather than a settled outcome. Observations and forecast limits.