BIG SWELLS HIT LAGUNA BEACH — Bluffs Crumble and Sand Disappears Along the Coast (Latest Updates)

Two major coastal erosion threats are developing along Southern California's coastline as powerful ocean swells and unusually high tides continue to batter Laguna Beach and nearby communities. As of November 2, 2026, a crack nearly 400 feet long remains open beneath Pacific Coast Highway at Crystal Cove, where part of the bluff has already collapsed onto the beach. In Laguna Beach, waves have stripped beaches down to exposed rock, leaving six oceanfront homes restricted for safety. In this video, we examine the Crystal Cove bluff failure, emergency repairs along Pacific Coast Highway and the damage to seawalls, beaches and oceanfront properties. We also look at the effects of Hurricane Marie and Hurricane Rachel, the emergency response from Caltrans and state officials, and why south-facing beaches are particularly vulnerable to powerful hurricane swells. The next king tides arrive November 24–26, followed by additional high-tide periods in December and January. With less sand protecting the coastline and El Niño potentially raising sea levels, the next round of tides could bring even greater pressure to already damaged coastal areas. Engineers are still monitoring the unstable bluff, while traffic remains restricted along the highway. Global Weather covers natural disasters and extreme weather events as they develop, using sourced reporting and avoiding unsupported speculation. CHAPTERS 00:00 400-Foot Crack Threatens Pacific Coast Highway 01:23 Crystal Cove Road Restrictions and Coming King Tides 02:23 Halloween Storm Tests the Damaged Coastal Bluff 03:23 Record Tides Strip Sand From Laguna Beaches 04:23 Surf and Sand Resort Faces Powerful Waves 05:24 Dangerous Surf Has Already Claimed 3 Lives 06:23 Lifeguards Warn Beachgoers About Powerful Waves 07:24 Hurricane Marie Damaged 6 Oceanfront Homes 08:23 Erosion Spreads Along Laguna Beach Shoreline 09:26 Massive Crack Discovered Beneath Pacific Coast Highway 10:27 Caltrans Begins $4 Million Emergency Repairs 11:26 Long-Term Bluff Stabilization Plan Still Pending 12:25 Newsom Signs Executive Order to Protect Highway One 13:25 Dana Point Homes Also Threatened by Coastal Erosion 14:26 Why South-Facing Beaches Face Powerful Hurricane Swells 15:27 Kelvin Waves and Warm Oceans Raise Sea Levels 16:30 Crystal Cove Bluff Collapses Onto the Beach 17:32 Highway Damage Could Threaten Laguna Beach Access 18:32 Higher King Tides Expected Through January 19:31 Huntington Beach Flooding Shows the Wider Coastal Threat SOURCES National Weather Service Caltrans California State Parks NOAA City of Laguna Beach City of Dana Point Governor Gavin Newsom's Office Laguna Beach Marine Safety HASHTAGS #LagunaBeach #CrystalCove #CoastalErosion #PacificCoastHighway #CaliforniaCoast #KingTides #ElNino #HurricaneMarie #HurricaneRachel #DanaPoint #BeachErosion #CoastalFlooding #GlobalWeather