Coastal flooding and king tides in Northern California forecast
- - Coastal flooding and king tides in Northern California forecast
Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY January 2, 2026 at 11:29 AM
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The new year is bringing warmer than normal temperatures across much of the U.S. including the Northern Rockies and Great Plains, while coastal California faces warnings for a couple of feet of coastal flooding and storm surge through the weekend.
A strong system is forecast to arrive off northern California and the Pacific Northwest, bringing more heavy rain and mountain snows in the region, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center.
The strong low pressure system is approaching with unfortunate timing, just as some of the highest astronomical tides of the year arrive along the Pacific Coast through the weekend. Coastal flood advisories are in effect along parts of the south central Oregon coast and northern California, including the Bay area, the National Weather Service has warned.
The low pressure system is forecast to bring strong southerly winds, generating storm surge that will help contribute to minor to moderate coastal flooding near shorelines and tidal waterways around San Francisco Bay, and from north of Point Reyes southward to Big Sur along the coast.
In San Francisco, high tides are forecast to be more than 2 feet above normal on Saturday and nearly that high again on the morning of Sunday, Jan. 4, thanks to the front and the alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun.
A similar forecast for coastal flooding is in effect along Coos Bay, Oregon and the surrounding estuaries.
Southern Californians' Christmas Eve is being shaped by the weather amid an atmospheric river that officials have warned about for days.People sit on the roof of a building while they are stranded during floods partially submerging the surrounding area in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.
" style=padding-bottom:56%>From a short-lived tornado warning to flooding, Southern Californians' Christmas Eve is being shaped by the weather amid an atmospheric river that officials have warned about for days.People sit on the roof of a building while they are stranded during floods partially submerging the surrounding area in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Y9WVAjHKNerdh59r_jpi7g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0yMjQ3/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/c54bcc3c72021253e5821d58c99c3b3f class=caas-img data-headline="Strong atmospheric river brings floods, snow, high winds to California" data-caption="
From a short-lived tornado warning to flooding, Southern Californians' Christmas Eve is being shaped by the weather amid an atmospheric river that officials have warned about for days.People sit on the roof of a building while they are stranded during floods partially submerging the surrounding area in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.
">From a short-lived tornado warning to flooding, Southern Californians' Christmas Eve is being shaped by the weather amid an atmospheric river that officials have warned about for days.People sit on the roof of a building while they are stranded during floods partially submerging the surrounding area in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Y9WVAjHKNerdh59r_jpi7g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0yMjQ3/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/c54bcc3c72021253e5821d58c99c3b3f class=caas-img>
1 / 20Strong atmospheric river brings floods, snow, high winds to California
From a short-lived tornado warning to flooding, Southern Californians' Christmas Eve is being shaped by the weather amid an atmospheric river that officials have warned about for days.People sit on the roof of a building while they are stranded during floods partially submerging the surrounding area in the aftermath of torrential rains, in San Bernardino County, California, U.S. December 24, 2025 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video.
Severe thunderstorms are possible along the Oregon and California coasts on the weekend. From Friday night through Monday, a general 2-4 inches of rain is forecast, with locally higher amounts along the coast north of Los Angeles, AccuWeather reported on Jan. 1.
The rain could exacerbate already wet conditions in California from other recent rain. It rained on the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year's Day for the first time in years, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department reported rescuing more than 100 people and one dog from flooding on Christmas Eve.
Water floods down a gutter as parade attendees wear ponchos as they walk up Colorado Blvd in the rain before the start of the 137th Rose Parade on New Years Day in Pasadena, California, on January 1, 2026.
The moisture also means snow in the Sierras, and AccuWeather reported it could lead to a long stretch of wintry conditions along the higher elevations of Interstate 80, possibly bringing several feet of snow to Donner Pass, enough to force the road to close.
Here is a detailed summary on the very wet start to the current water year through December across Southwest California.https://t.co/Q78445OgGh#CAwx #LARain pic.twitter.com/rlIP4fC1iO
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 1, 2026
Warmer temperatures likely in Central U.S.
Far to the east, a warming trend could bring temperatures that range from 15-30 degrees above normal in the Plains, the weather service said.
Further east, more heavy lake effect snow is forecast across portions of the Great Lakes, in far northwest Pennsylvania and portions of western New York state. The weather service reported 16 inches of snow in Oswego, New York on New Year's Day.
Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, has covered climate change, weather and other news for decades. Reach her at [email protected] or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coastal flooding in California, rare rain fell on Rose Bowl Parade
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