High tides could bring minor flooding today and Wednesday, forecasters say

The National Weather Service cautioned about possible tidal flooding in some Orange County beach communities until Wednesday.

Newport Beach likely will see “king tides,” or above average high tides, starting Tuesday that could reach 6 to 7 feet, said Newport Beach lifeguard Capt. Brain O’Rourke.

The higher water levels could result in minor flooding in low seaside areas in Newport Beach and Seal Beach.

High tides are expected at about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and about 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Also, elevated surf in some areas will bring strong rip currents, according to the National Weather Service. Lifeguards urge swimmers to be cautious when entering the water.

Surfline.com forecasts 5- to 7-foot waves Tuesday on the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier and surf up to 5 feet in Seal Beach.

“We’re expecting to see a lot of surfers out at the beach over the next few days,” O’Rourke said.

Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Michael Beuerlein said flooding could be expected if the tidal changes were paired with high surf. But he expects the tide to mellow before the surf comes in.

“It looks like those two events are not going to coincide, at least preliminarily,” he said.

—Hannah Fry and Anthony Clark Carpio