Emergency Powers Blitz As Surf Builds

Coastal village by a wide sandy beach under cloudy skies — Photo: INTREEGUE Photography / Shutterstock

Long Beach fast-tracked emergency powers to brace its weakened shoreline as Hurricane Polo’s surf and high tides close in.

Story Snapshot

City Council ratified the city manager’s emergency declaration at a special meeting.
Order speeds hiring, contracting, procurement, and requests for outside help.
Action follows boardwalk damage and sand loss from Hurricane Marie surf.
Forecast calls for 4–6 foot waves with tides up to 7 feet in Long Beach.

Council Ratifies Local Emergency To Speed Coastal Protection

Long Beach City Council ratified City Manager Tom Modica’s local emergency declaration at a special meeting, citing looming Hurricane Polo surf and already damaged beaches. The move gives the city authority to shift staff, sign contracts faster, and start work without normal delays. Modica said crews are preparing for impacts Monday and Tuesday if Polo’s swells align with high tides. The ratified order positions the city to respond quickly and seek help from other government agencies as needed.

City leaders said the declaration unlocks practical steps now. The city can hire contractors, procure gear, and move money without weeks of bidding. That can mean more sandbags in place, berms shored up, and drains cleared before peak surf arrives. Officials said this posture protects homes, roads, and utilities near the beach. It also sets up faster coordination with county and state partners for equipment or funds if the shoreline takes another hit.

Why Act Now: Recent Damage And Measurable Surf Risks

Officials tied the emergency to real damage from recent Hurricane Marie surf, which chewed away beach sand and battered a boardwalk. Those losses left the Peninsula more exposed to the next round of waves. Reporters on scene documented eroded berms and an exposed seawall in places. With beaches thinned, the same size waves can run farther inland. That is why the city moved before Polo’s peak, not after it, to lessen flooding and debris flow risks.

Forecasts pointed to a tight window that could magnify risk. Forecasters cited tides up to seven feet in Long Beach and waves between four and six feet early week. That mix can push water over berms and into low streets and yards. Lifeguards and public works teams planned to stage gear and sandbags near known trouble spots. Officials said there were no evacuation orders at this time, but they warned that could change if track and timing shift toward higher danger.

Planned Work: Sand, Crews, And A Defined Rebuild Project

City staff outlined both short-term and long-term steps. In the short term, the declaration lets teams stockpile sandbags, hire extra crews, and bring in equipment to rebuild berms and protect storm drains. In the longer term, the city paired the order with a dredging plan to restore the Peninsula shoreline. That project would place about 415,000 cubic yards of sand to raise and widen the beach, a $9.27 million effort aimed at cutting wave energy before it reaches homes.

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

Regional context supports Long Beach’s move. Other coastal cities have issued similar local emergencies after Marie and ahead of El Niño’s storm season. The Governor also declared a statewide emergency tied to storm threats. This pattern reflects a standard playbook: act early, speed procurement, and secure outside help before the peak hits. For residents, that means more visible work now and less waiting on paperwork while surf and tides test the coast again.

What Residents Should Expect Next

City crews will continue staging materials and checking weak points along the Peninsula. Homeowners can expect lifeguards and public works to post closures if surf undermines access. Officials urged residents in low areas to keep cars off beach-adjacent streets, clear yard drains, and pick up sandbags where the city provides them. If conditions worsen, the city may issue targeted evacuation guidance. Until then, the goal is to hold the line and keep critical services running through the high-tide cycles.