A dead whale washed up on the sand in Newport Beach on Wednesday, with authorities assessing how the mammal died — and how to get it off of the popular beach.
The 27-foot whale was first spotted offshore at about 1:45 p.m. near 28th Street and came onto shore at about 3 p.m. near 11th Street, between the Newport and Balboa piers and near Newport Elementary school, Lifeguard Chief Brian O’Rourke said.
The mammal is believed to be a humpback and about 20,000 pounds, or 10 tons, he said. Staff from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center were on scene, he said.
A dead sub-adult humpback whalefloats in the surf between 10th and 11th Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 27-foot whale came onto shore at about 3 p.m. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center examined the whale and said their current plan is to wait to see if the coming storm brings the whale back out to sea. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A dead sub-adult humpback whalefloats in the surf between 10th and 11th Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 27-foot whale came onto shore at about 3 p.m. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center examined the whale and said their current plan is to wait to see if the coming storm brings the whale back out to sea. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A dead sub-adult humpback whalefloats in the surf between 10th and 11th Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 27-foot whale came onto shore at about 3 p.m. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center examined the whale and said their current plan is to wait to see if the coming storm brings the whale back out to sea. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A dead sub-adult humpback whalefloats in the surf between 10th and 11th Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 27-foot whale came onto shore at about 3 p.m. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center examined the whale and said their current plan is to wait to see if the coming storm brings the whale back out to sea. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A dead sub-adult humpback whalefloats in the surf between 10th and 11th Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 27-foot whale came onto shore at about 3 p.m. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center examined the whale and said their current plan is to wait to see if the coming storm brings the whale back out to sea. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A dead whale washed up on the sand in Newport Beach on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Tim Burnham)
A dead sub-adult humpback whalefloats in the surf between 10th and 11th Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 27-foot whale came onto shore at about 3 p.m. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center examined the whale and said their current plan is to wait to see if the coming storm brings the whale back out to sea. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A dead sub-adult humpback whalefloats in the surf between 10th and 11th Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 27-foot whale came onto shore at about 3 p.m. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center examined the whale and said their current plan is to wait to see if the coming storm brings the whale back out to sea. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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A dead sub-adult humpback whalefloats in the surf between 10th and 11th Streets on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, CA, on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The 27-foot whale came onto shore at about 3 p.m. Officials at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center examined the whale and said their current plan is to wait to see if the coming storm brings the whale back out to sea. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The cause of death is unknown and the PMMC staff will do a preliminary assessment followed by a necropsy, said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokesman Michael Milstein. The whale is believed not to be an adult yet.
Winds were too strong, and sea conditions on Wednesday were too dangerous for a tow vessel to come close to the shore to remove the massive animal, O’Rourke said, adding they may have to wait until Friday due to more inclement weather that is expected.
“We’re working on a plan to dispose of it,” he said. “For it to just decay on the beach would cause a lot of different problems.”
He said people should stay clear of the whale, keeping a distance of at least 200 feet.
“Just please stay away from it right now until we can get the salvage disposal of the whale underway,” he said. “It’s massive; there could be some danger to the public, it’s rolling away from the surfline.
“It could cause damage, even crush them,” he warned. “That’s a possibility in a dangerous situation.”
