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San Diego coastline faces threat from Super El Niño
San Diego and surrounding Southern California coastal areas are preparing for a potential Super El Niño, which experts warn could cause significant beach erosion, cliff collapses, and severe flooding. Adam Young, a researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, stated that strong El Niño conditions could temporarily raise sea levels along the California coast by 6 to 13 inches.
In response to long-term sea-level rise, the San Diego City Council adopted a Coastal Resilience Master Plan in September 2025. This plan identifies several critical project sites, including La Jolla Shores, Tourmaline Surf Park, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, and Sunset Cliffs. While the San Diego Bay remains relatively protected from direct wave erosion, its open connection to the Pacific Ocean makes it vulnerable to flooding.
Municipal estimates suggest that sea levels could rise by 3.6 to 7 feet by the year 2100. To monitor these changes, the California Coastline Survey, a state-funded initiative, has scanned the state's coast six times since 2023, with further surveys planned for the fall of 2026 and spring of 2027.
Entities
Adam Young · California Coastline Survey · San Diego · San Diego City Council · Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Sea levels in San Diego could increase by 3.6 to 7 feet by the year 2100. timesofsandiego.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Coastal Resilience Master Plan identifies La Jolla Shores, Tourmaline Surf Park, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, and Sunset Cliffs as critical project sites.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The California Coastline Survey has scanned the state’s entire coast six times since 2023.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The San Diego City Council adopted a Coastal Resilience Master Plan in September 2025.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Researchers plan to survey the coastline in the fall of 2026 and spring of 2027 to quantify erosion.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Strong El Niño conditions could raise sea levels on the California coast by 6 to 13 inches. timesofsandiego.com