Tide Surge Closes Coast Highway In Huntington Beach Tuesday Morning

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA — Orange County residents, be aware: a part of Pacific Coast Highway was closed Tuesday late Tuesday morning due to a "tide surge event," the City of Huntington Beach said.

The closure was reported at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday and affects both directions of Pacific Coast Highway from Warner Avenue to Seapoint Street, near Bolsa Chica Beach, city officials said.

Video from the scene showed water covering lanes on both sides of the highway.

City of Huntington Beach Spokeswoman Jennifer Carey said the high-tide surge caused the flooding, and Caltrans crews were working to mop up the water, which will likely take a couple of hours.

Caltrans spokeswoman Elizabeth Manzo said it was unclear when the lanes could be reopened and that motorists were being detoured around the area without any major backup as of 1:30 p.m.

According to the National Weather Service, a tide surge — or a storm tide — is when water levels rise due to a combination of storm surges and the astronomical tide. The rise in water can cause extreme flooding in coastal areas, sometimes resulting in storm tides reaching up to 20 feet, the service said.

No further information was immediately available.

City News Service contributed to this report.