San Diego Coast Faces Super El Niño Threat

San Diego faces a significant threat from an impending Super El Niño, which is projected to cause severe coastal erosion, cliff collapses, and flooding. This convergence of hazards could permanently alter the region's shoreline. In anticipation, the San Diego City Council adopted its Coastal Resilience Master Plan in September 2025.

The master plan designates La Jolla Shores, Tourmaline Surf Park, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, and Sunset Cliffs as crucial project sites. While resilience projects at La Jolla Shores and Mission Beach are still in conceptual stages due to funding, those at Tourmaline, Ocean Beach, and Sunset Cliffs are progressing to initial engineering design. The city is also implementing sand berms along Mission Bay and other beaches to absorb wave energy.

Concerns extend beyond these specific sites, with vulnerabilities stretching across the entire coast. San Onofre State Beach is experiencing ongoing erosion impacting Interstate 5. Oceanside grapples with significant beach retreat, necessitating extensive dredging projects. Coastal lagoons are at risk of inlet blockages, and fragile bluffs from Carlsbad to Del Mar face destabilization. Homes situated on cliffs are particularly at risk, and heavy rainfall could exacerbate South Bay's sewage crisis by spreading pollution.