Latest threat in supply chain nightmares is storm season

Storm season is coming to the shores of Southern California, and that could make global supply-chain bottlenecks even worse. Close to 160 vessels are waiting to enter the Long Beach and Los Angeles port complex -- some mega-sized container ships carrying as much as half a million tons of everything from consumer goods to factory inputs.
The build-up of cargo outside the main U.S. gateway for Chinese exports is contributing to goods shortages and prices hikes ahead of the Christmas shopping season. But a new worry is bubbling up from the port gridlock: The area’s storm season that’s already underway will bring high winds and choppy seas, potentially leading to accidents among ships jostling for space.