Archive:Hurricane Marie (2026)

Hurricane Marie was a moderately strong tropical cyclone that brought widespread coastal flooding to parts of California and Baja California in September 2026. The fourteenth named storm and sixth hurricane of the 2026 Pacific hurricane season, Marie formed on September 1, and steadily strengthened over the Eastern Pacific the next day. The system would then improve its structure on September 3, intensifying into a Category 1 hurricane that same day. Although struggling due to dry air, Marie was able to strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane the following day. Despite dry air restricting the opportunity to intensify, the system was able to reach a pressure of Template:Convert/mbar that evening. Early the next day, Marie had weakened to high-end Category 1 intensity. Cooler sea surface temperatures continued to prevent any further strengthening for the system, and the system soon dissipated on September 8.

The system generated swells that caused rough surf and rip current conditions along parts of Southwestern Mexico, Baja California peninsula, and Southern California. The Revillagigedo Islands were impacted with rough seas and tropical-storm and hurricane-force winds. Small vessels were prohibited from leaving ports in San José del Cabo. Classes were also cancelled in Los Cabos and several streets were flooded. High waves in Long Beach, California, forced 20 homes to evacuate.

Meteorological history

Template:Expand section Template:Storm path On September 1, the NHC designated a low-pressure system as Tropical Storm Marie. Marie steadily intensified over the Eastern Pacific over the next day, becoming a high-end tropical storm late on September 2. On September 3 at 03:00 UTC, Marie improved its structure and intensified to a Category 1 hurricane with winds of Template:Convert/mph. Over the next 24 hours, Marie slowly and steadily intensified, struggling due to dry air, and it became a Category 2 hurricane on September 4, at 03:00 UTC. Gusts reached as high as Template:Convert/kph.Marie held its intensity for 24 hours, with dry air mostly restricting the opportunity for further intensification, however the hurricane deepened to Template:Convert/mbar that evening. Early the following day, Marie had weakened to high-end Category 1 intensity. Cooler sea surface temperatures continued to restrict Marie from strengthening as the system fell below hurricane status. By September 8, Marie transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone.Template:Cn

Impact

In Ciudad Constitución, Template:Convert/mm of rain was recorded in a matter of hours, causing flooding on roadways. A large south swell from the storm produced surf of up to 10 ft (3.0 m) at south-facing beaches in Southern California, coinciding with evening high tides above 7 ft (2.1 m). High surf and coastal flood advisories were in effect for Los Angeles, Ventura, and Orange counties over the Labor Day weekend, and seawater flooded streets, parking lots, and homes in Seal Beach, Malibu, and Long Beach. On the Alamitos Peninsula in Long Beach, waves breached a seawall and damaged the boardwalk, prompting the evacuation of about 20 oceanfront homes along Seaside Walk on September 7; at least 12 garages were damaged. Along Beach Road in the Capistrano Bay District of Dana Point, eight homes were declared uninhabitable and one partially collapsed into the ocean. Rough waves at Newport Beach resulted in 213 water rescues over Labor Day weekend. Rain from the storm's outer bands fell across Los Angeles County, the San Bernardino Mountains, and the High Desert. The peak amount of rainfall was Template:Convert/in in Bel Air. Daily rainfall records for September 6 were broken at Downtown Los Angeles, Los Angeles International Airport, and Long Beach Airport. Some parts of Los Angeles County received Template:Convert/in of rain in just 30 minutes. Lightning forced beaches in Malibu to close on the evening of September 6. Along Interstate 8, east of Alpine, winds gusted to Template:Convert/mph. After the storms, excessive heat and humidity was felt across the Los Angeles metropolitan area and San Diego metropolitan area. Several traffic signals in Arcadia lost power during the storms. In Glendale, over 4400 customers lost power. Portions of both the Orange County Line and Inland Empire–Orange County Line suspended operation late on September 6 due to allow for crews to repair damage caused by the waves. Damage in Dana Point was estimated at $58 million due to the waves. Further east, the storm also enhanced the monsoon over Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.

Aftermath

Following the storm, several blocks of Long Beach were evacuated. Evacuations were also ordered in Malibu due to a sinkhole forming. Metrolink was forced to cancel service south of Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo station due to damage from the waves of Marie indefinitely. Pacific Surfliner service near San Clemente was also suspended, but resumed on September 17. A state of emergency was declared in Orange County after the storm. The city of San Clemente allocated $1 million in beach repairs following Marie. The inaugural Ocean Way festival in Santa Monica, scheduled for September 26–27, was cancelled due to damage from Marie's waves. Due to the damage Marie caused, some walls to break waves were constructed in Long Beach, ahead of Hurricane Polo. Additionally, California governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for several coastal communities due to the historically strong El Niño and risk of future events like Marie. Widespread coastal erosion was also reported at many locations in coastal California, especially at Newport Beach.

See also

• Weather of 2026
• Tropical cyclones in 2026
• Other storms of the same name
• Hurricane Olivia (1982)
• Hurricane Ismael (1983)
• Hurricane Dolores (2015)