Hurricane Marie brought powerful surf and high water to the Long Beach coastline over Labor Day weekend, but the most significant impacts in the city were concentrated along the Peninsula.

Large waves pushed water onto portions of the oceanfront neighborhood, damaged sections of the boardwalk and prompted evacuation orders for some homes closest to the water.

While elevated surf was visible along other parts of the Long Beach coast, the Peninsula bore the brunt of the local flooding and damage.

Peninsula Homes Threatened by Powerful Surf

As waves battered the Peninsula, Long Beach crews worked to reinforce the shoreline and protect homes from additional flooding.

Evacuation orders were issued for approximately two dozen homes as conditions worsened, with residents facing the possibility of water reaching their properties.

The impacts were concentrated along a relatively small stretch of the Peninsula rather than across Long Beach as a whole.

Most residents were eventually allowed to return home as conditions improved.

Flooding Renews Long-Standing Concerns

For residents of the Peninsula, coastal flooding and erosion are not new concerns.

Long Beach has acknowledged that the Peninsula is particularly vulnerable to coastal flooding and has spent years studying and developing projects intended to better protect the shoreline.

Some residents have expressed frustration over how long those efforts have taken, particularly after watching another major swell threaten homes along the oceanfront.

Long Beach Has a Larger Project in the Works

One of the City’s major planned projects involves dredging the Alamitos Bay Entrance Channel and placing suitable sand along Peninsula Beach.

Current City plans call for approximately 415,000 cubic yards of material to be dredged, with suitable material used to widen and stabilize the beach.

Councilwoman Kristina Duggan has said the project could widen portions of Peninsula Beach by approximately 250 feet.

The project has been years in the making and previously encountered delays after construction bids exceeded the City’s available budget. Long Beach rebid the project in 2026 and posted a notice of intent to award the work in August.

The project was already moving forward before Hurricane Marie arrived.

Hurricane Marie Puts the Peninsula Back in the Spotlight

Long Beach has dealt with major surf events before, and the Peninsula’s location leaves the neighborhood particularly exposed when powerful swells and high tides arrive at the same time.

Hurricane Marie did not flood the entire Long Beach coastline. But for the residents living along the affected portion of the Peninsula, the storm once again demonstrated how vulnerable that small stretch of Long Beach can be when the ocean pushes inland.

With another major beach nourishment project approaching, the latest flooding is likely to keep attention on how quickly Long Beach can move forward with longer-term protection for the Peninsula.