Orange County cities brace for significant rainstorm

Orange County coastal cities braced for significant rainfall and possible flooding on Thursday, as the most significant rainstorm so far of 2021 made its way toward Southern California.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch for coastal Orange County in effect from 7 p.m. Thursday and lasting through Friday afternoon. The heaviest rain was expected late Thursday night into Friday morning, with a total of about 1.5 inches forecast for near the coast.

Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach officials alerted residents that sandbag pickups were available on Thursday. Newport Beach public information manager John Pope said that free filled sandbag pickups were available to city residents with identification at the public works city yard, while unfilled bags were available at all city fire stations.

Pope said he was concerned about possible local flooding during the Friday morning high tide at about 9 a.m.

“We will have 32 utilities and public works staff members with trucks and pumps ready to pump the rainwater in areas where it’s needed (generally the Peninsula area and Balboa Island),” Pope wrote in an email.

The city of Laguna Beach is providing free sand bags to residents as they prepare for the winter storm.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)

Laguna Beach was also providing filled sandbags at the Act V and Aliso Beach East parking lots, with unfilled bags available at the city’s four fire stations. City officials urged downtown business owners and residents to put flood gates in place.

Huntington Beach has free sandbags available for residents at sites including the Corporate Yard, the Rogers Center and the fire station on Warner Avenue. The city provides the sand and sandbags, with a limit of 20 per household. A video on how to fill them is available online.

Brian O’Rourke, Newport Beach lifeguard battalion chief, said he is also concerned about Friday morning’s high tide.

“We’re working with our public works [department], who are doing a lot of building some berms, making sure all of the storm drains are clear,” O’Rourke said. “That’s their job. As far as lifeguards go, we’re moving some of our towers back [and] our vehicles. We’ve staged a truck with a raft and some flood rescue gear, in case we have something in the city where we have to rescue trapped or stranded people due to water rise in different parts of the city.”

O’Rourke said the lifeguards’ message to the public is to stay away from the water, especially Friday.

“We expect it to be treacherous,” he said. “It’s just a good day to watch from afar, enjoy the weather and be safe. Don’t put yourself in a position where you could get into trouble during the storm.”

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