Recent severe storms and tidal surges have damaged and closed numerous California piers, from Santa Cruz to San Diego. At least a half dozen public piers have been closed after being repeatedly damaged by storms with multiple atmospheric rivers hitting the state over the past year. Repair costs have reached millions of dollars.
CEE Assistant Professor Luis Ceferino commented in an Associated Press video, "What we know is that climate change can make more events like this more frequent. Each ocean has its own complexities. Obviously, the Pacific Ocean is made up of complex environmental processes that can happen all the way from king tides to storm systems to high winds that can push water toward the pier."