Santa Barbara Harbor Tide Reaches Preliminary 8.01 Feet October 27 as Flood Advisory Continues

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — October 27, 2026. Santa Barbara’s waterfront saw unusually high water Tuesday, with a local waterfront official reporting a preliminary high-tide reading around 8.01 feet at approximately 10 a.m. The figure was described as surpassing a previous local record, although final tide-gauge records and datums should be checked before making long-term comparisons.

In local reporting, Waterfront Public Information Officer Angela Rodriguez described harbor gangways lifted by the exceptional water level and conditions near the travel-lift pier. The observation reflects the harbor environment during the tide peak: it is not an assertion that all downtown Santa Barbara streets were flooded.

Advisory for Santa Barbara County beaches

The National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard office continued a Coastal Flood Advisory through 1 p.m. Thursday, October 29 for Santa Barbara County beaches and other Southern California coastal zones. It warned that extremely high tides could inundate low-lying waterfront walkways, beach parking areas and some infrastructure, with beach erosion also possible.

What boaters and visitors should do

Harbor users should check local Santa Barbara Waterfront Department updates, watch gangway angles and exposed wiring, and avoid seawater on paths or boat-launch areas. Conditions change from high to low tide; a submerged or hazardous section in the morning may look quite different later in the day. Nothing in this report announces a general closure of all Santa Barbara Harbor facilities.

Sources: NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard Oct. 27 Coastal Flood Advisory; KEYT, October 27 local waterfront official’s tide observations; Santa Barbara News-Press, Harbor Patrol preparedness report.

YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER NEEDS YOU

Help this community newspaper grow

Your support helps build coverage for the people and places this local newspaper serves.

Donate once by card ↗

Help Santa Barbara News grow Help strengthen reporting on Santa Barbara: community voices, important decisions and local life.

Support Santa Barbara News

Choose how to support Santa Barbara News:

Credit / Debit Card via Stripe

Choose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.

Continue with PayPal Continue with Zelle

Zelle payments go to Vitaly Ataev Troshin. Please verify the recipient in your bank before sending. Availability depends on your bank.

Optional reader support. When possible, add “Santa Barbara News” to the payment note. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.

Optional support through the publisher. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible and never buy editorial influence.

Santa Barbara News — Your Community Newspaper

Have a correction, news tip, local announcement, or story to submit? Contact our editorial team. All submissions are reviewed before publication.

Contact the Santa Barbara News newsroom →

Comments

Join the California58 conversation. You must be signed in to comment.