El Niño-driven wave energy to hit Southern California, raising sea levels and swell threats

A large pulse of wave energy from El Niño is forecast to reach Southern California and move north, raising sea levels by about half a foot and amplifying swell and tidal hazards. The event is part of an established El Niño pattern, but the magnitude of the wave energy and the potential for coastal flooding mark a notable escalation. The exact timing and intensity of impacts remain uncertain as the system develops.