Here is what you need to know in the July 28, 2026, Streamline newsletter:
- High surf and dangerous rip currents are creating hazardous conditions along San Diego’s coastline as crowds head to the beach to escape the heat.
- After months of closures, improving water conditions in Imperial Beach are finally allowing Camp Surf campers back into the ocean — saving the program thousands of dollars.
- Need a windshield replacement? Joe Ducey explains the common insurance mistake that could end up increasing your rates.
THE STREAMLINE
WATCH — ABC 10News brings you The Streamline for Tuesday, July 28 -- everything you need to know in under 10 minutes:
TOP STORY
San Diego County is expected to get a short break from the extreme heat and humidity over the next couple of days, but beachgoers are being urged to watch for hazardous coastal conditions.
San Diego’s beach communities are expected to see high surf, strong rip currents and possible coastal flooding through the rest of the work week and into Saturday.
A Beach Hazards Statement remains in effect through 5 p.m. Wednesday for waves between 3 and 7 feet and dangerous rip currents. It will then transition into a High Surf Advisory and Coastal Flood Advisory.
Forecasters say south-southwest-facing beaches could see waves of 5 to 9 feet, while west-facing beaches may experience surf between 3 and 6 feet. The High Surf Advisory is expected to remain in place through Saturday evening.
Lifeguards and emergency crews responded to more than 400 water rescues over the weekend — nearly twice as many as the previous weekend.
The recent heat wave has driven more people to local beaches, making it an especially busy summer for lifeguards.
Don’t get too comfortable with the cooldown: Temperatures will ramp up starting Thursday and it will remain hot around the county into the weekend, with record heat possible for some cities.
USEFUL RESOURCES:
- Latest county weather alerts
- Places to keep cool around San Diego County
- Designated San Diego County cool zones
MICROCLIMATE FORECAST
Coasts
Inland
Mountains
Deserts
BREAKING OVERNIGHT
TOKYO (AP) — An earthquake registering a magnitude of 7.1 shook Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, causing damage and injuries, officials said. A tsunami advisory was temporarily issued but was lifted within two hours, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
The agency said the tsunami advisory covered the nearby Ariake and Yatsushiro Seas on the western coasts of Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Saga prefectures about 900 kilometers (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo.
The U.S. Geological Survey initially said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, but revised it later to 6.8.
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in a message posted on X, said her government has set up a task force to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations if needed.
Takaichi later told reporters that there have been reports of a number of injuries and damages to roads, bridges and buildings, as well as blackouts and fire, though details are still unclear. Takaichi warned people cooking to be careful with fire and with shards of broken glass.
Kyodo News agency said a hospital in Yatsushiro city accepted about 40 people with injuries from the quake. A train was derailed and fell on its side at the Yatsushiro station, and stone walls were damaged at the Kumamoto castle, Kyodo said.
Yozo Kai, a priest at a Shinto shrine in the nearby town of Mashiki, said a few stone lanterns fell down. “I worried if the main hall and the gate would tilt again,” he told Kyodo.
“The shaking reminded me of the Kumamoto quake (10 years ago) and I was frightened,” said Hiroki Shimoda, an official at the Mifune town hall, who saw rooftiles of nearby homes crash down to the ground.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said there were no reports of damage to major public facilities and infrastructure, though authorities were still assessing the extent of damage. Local fire departments received many emergency calls reporting fires and damage to homes.
“We are putting people’s lives as the top priority,” Takaichi said, urging residents in the strongly shaken areas to use caution in light of possible aftershocks.
Shinji Kiyomoto, JMA’s Earthquake and Tsunami Countermeasures planning officer, told a news conference that the shallow earthquake was triggering active seismic activity in the area, urging residents to especially be cautious over the next two to three days. He said, however, that no tsunami was observed from the inland quake.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were found at three nearby nuclear power plants.
Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu have been suspended for safety checks, while the runway at the Aso Kumamoto Airport was closed, with “no prospect of resuming operations” according to a notice on the airport's website.
The Japanese Defense Ministry said it dispatched aircraft to the area to assess the situation.
Kumamoto was hit with a deadly quake in 2016 that left more than 50 people dead, 1,800 injured and tens of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.
Story by Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press
CONSUMER
If your vehicle’s windshield is damaged, you may want to think twice before immediately filing an insurance claim — especially since replacement costs for newer vehicles can exceed $1,000.
WATCH — Joe Ducey with the Better Business Bureau explains how filing a windshield claim could end up costing drivers more over time:
WE FOLLOW THROUGH
For the first time this summer, Camp Surf campers hit the waves right in Imperial Beach.
In past summers, ongoing cross-border sewage contamination forced the YMCA to bus campers to other beaches so they could safely get in the water — a workaround that cost roughly $50,000 each month.
"This morning, when it was announced that the ocean was open, the spirit and just the smiles and the laughter and the happiness that they could go in the ocean right here in front of Camp Surf … it makes a huge difference. Camp Surf comes alive; I think that's really neat," said Jamie Cosson, executive director of the YMCA of San Diego Overnight Camps.
Camp leaders say they’re encouraged by the reopening, though water quality continues to be monitored daily, meaning there’s no certainty the beach will remain open through the rest of the summer.
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