Boardwalk Shredded – Worse Hits Next Week

Wooden pier stretching over ocean waves at sunset — Photo: Jon Bilous / Shutterstock

Long Beach leaders fast-tracked emergency powers to brace a battered shoreline as Hurricane Polo’s swells line up with dangerous tides.

Story Highlights

The City Council ratified a local emergency to speed coastal protection work.
Officials cited washed-out sand and boardwalk damage from Hurricane Marie.
The order enables rapid hiring, contracting, and sandbag stockpiles before Polo.
Forecasts warn of 4- to 6-foot waves and up to 7-foot tides in Long Beach.

Council Ratifies Local Emergency To Accelerate Coastal Defense

The Long Beach City Council ratified City Manager Tom Modica’s emergency declaration at a special meeting, giving the city faster tools to defend homes and public assets ahead of Hurricane Polo’s expected surf early next week. The action authorizes crews to hire contractors, redeploy staff, and move money without long delays. City officials framed the step as a targeted way to harden beaches and fix weak points before the next set of big swells hits already stressed shoreline areas.

City leaders pointed to recent storm damage as a key reason for speed. Reports said surf from Hurricane Marie washed away protective sand and damaged parts of the boardwalk, leaving the Peninsula more exposed to flooding and erosion. The city paired the emergency with a dredging plan to rebuild the beach, including a project budgeted at $9.27 million to pump about 415,000 cubic yards of sand onto the shoreline, which would restore a vital buffer between waves and homes.

What The Emergency Powers Allow On The Ground

Under the order, the city can stockpile sandbags, hire extra crews and equipment, and ask other agencies for help without the usual waiting periods. Staff can expedite procurement to place temporary berms and patch vulnerable spots before high water. Officials said there are no immediate evacuation plans, but they will adjust if the storm track or surf outlook worsens. The goal is simple: build protection now so families and first responders are not scrambling during peak tides.

Forecasts show why time matters. Forecasters expect tides up to seven feet in Long Beach, with waves between four and six feet as Polo’s energy reaches the coast, raising the risk of coastal flooding and damage to exposed structures. Those levels can overtop thin berms, push water into low streets, and chew at seawalls that lost protective sand earlier this month. City crews are racing the clock to replace sand buffers and clear drainage so stormwater has somewhere to go.

Regionwide Pattern Of Declarations As Storm Season Builds

Long Beach is not acting alone. Other Southern California beach cities, including Laguna Beach, Dana Point, Carlsbad, and San Clemente, issued local emergencies in recent days to speed repairs after pounding surf and to prepare for more wave events tied to the season. California’s governor also declared a broader emergency tied to expected storms, aligning state resources with local needs. This pattern reflects a standard coastal playbook when normal permitting and bidding would move too slowly during active surf cycles.

Long Beach is racing to shore up its coastline and prepare residents for another potentially dangerous round of waves as Hurricane Polo churns in the Pacific, less than two weeks after hurricane-generated swells caused extensive damage along the Peninsula. https://t.co/luP7fQ9064

— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) September 24, 2026

Officials in Long Beach explained that the emergency will carry through the storm season so work does not stall between swells. That continuity lets teams stage materials, keep contractors on site, and sequence dredging with weather windows. While the declaration centers on urgent shoreline work, leaders also stressed public readiness. Residents in low-lying areas should watch city alerts, keep flood kits handy, and move cars off flood-prone streets when high surf and high tide overlap.

What Residents Should Expect In The Coming Days

City crews will build up berms, place sandbags at key street ends, and reinforce lifeguard access points. Contractors will focus on the most eroded stretches first, using heavy equipment to move sand into a wider buffer for incoming sets. Police, fire, and lifeguards will monitor flood-prone blocks during morning high tides when water piles highest. If conditions worsen, officials can close beach access and roads quickly under the emergency authority to keep families and first responders safe.

The city’s message is direct: prepare now, stay away from jetties and piers during high surf, and report roadway flooding early so crews can respond. Leaders said the emergency tools are about practical speed, not alarm. They allow Long Beach to act before damage spreads, protect property values along the Peninsula, and lower cleanup costs. With Hurricane Polo’s swells arriving soon, strong coordination and fast execution give taxpayers the best shot at a safer week on the coast.