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Lightning Strikes Prompt Beach Evacuations in Newport Beach

Dark clouds and lightning loom over Newport Beach, prompting evacuations.

News Summary

Newport Beach and Huntington Beach saw evacuations on Tuesday due to a series of lightning strikes. Officials urged beachgoers to seek shelter as storm cells approached the coast. The Balboa Ferry suspended operations while NOAA reported ground strikes nearby, resulting in multiple beach closures. Some beaches reopened shortly after warnings subsided, while others remained under precautionary measures. Eyewitnesses reported rain and hail across Southern California, and the severe weather led to a flash flood advisory across the region, impacting beach communities significantly.

Newport Beach, California – Parts of the Newport Beach and Huntington Beach coastlines were evacuated on Tuesday, June 3, due to a series of lightning strikes in the area. Local officials took swift action to ensure public safety as storms approached the coast.

Shortly after 4 p.m., Newport Beach officials issued a social media alert urging beachgoers to avoid the water and sand, recommending that people seek shelter indoors as storm cells moved toward the area. The city emphasized that public safety is the top priority and promised to provide updates as conditions evolved.

In response to the severe weather, the Balboa Ferry suspended operations during the storm. Reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicated ground lightning strikes approximately 8 miles away, prompting Huntington Beach to implement a beach closure. City spokesperson Corbin Carson noted that steps were taken to evacuate the waterfront and beachfront areas, and the pier was cleared as a precaution.

NOAA projected that the storm cell would pass through the area within the next hour. Following this prediction, Laguna Beach officials monitored the situation and took proactive measures, closing local beaches around 5:15 p.m. They announced that the beaches would reopen 30 minutes after the storm passed.

By just before 7 p.m., the closed beaches had reopened, indicating that the immediate threat had subsided. In San Clemente, Marine Safety Lt. Sean Staudenbaur reported at 4:30 p.m. that although beaches were not yet closed, preparations were being made for anticipated closures if conditions worsened.

State Beaches, including Huntington Beach, Bolsa Chica, Crystal Cove, Doheny, and San Clemente, had lifeguards warning beachgoers through public address systems to avoid entering the water, although they remained open as of 4:30 p.m. Conversely, Seal Beach Marine Safety Officer Jeremy Jenks confirmed that both the beaches and the pier were closed around 3:50 p.m. following multiple lightning strikes nearby, with a reopening planned for 30 minutes after lightning ceased detection within a 10-mile radius.

The storm brought scattered showers and lightning to various parts of Southern California, leading to multiple beach closures and a flood advisory for much of Los Angeles County. Tropical moisture was attributed to the rainfall, which came after a period of warm temperatures earlier in the week.

The severe thunderstorm warning and flash flood warning that had been in effect expired, although a flash flood warning for the Inland Empire was lifted after 7 p.m. Eyewitness accounts reported rain, hail, and lightning striking in different areas across Southern California as the storm unfolded.

This severe weather event significantly impacted beach communities, resulting in temporary closures in Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, and Long Beach. A family in Huntington Beach documented a lightning strike that hit a palm tree, prompting immediate evacuation as other beachgoers sought shelter from the sudden storm.

As the strong storm system was anticipated to taper off by Wednesday, temperatures were expected to rise again by the weekend, suggesting a return to more typical Southern California weather conditions.