Unprecedented high tidal events have caused states of emergency to be declared in Southern California. The high water is being driven by a combination of El Niño-warmed ocean waters, underground Kelvin waves, heavy southerly swells, and seasonal high-tide cycles.
Reports from several sources indicate that coastal communities make-shift defenses against higher tides are not holding.
In some cases, efforts to hold back the ocean waters have been not just ineffective, but counterproductive.