Saturday’s ocean swell battered the California coastline, sending powerful waves from San Diego up to Malibu and beyond. The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory that covered the entire southern coast, warning of hazardous conditions for beachgoers and surfers.
In San Diego, local authorities advised the public to stay well back from the water as surf heights surged. While exact wave measurements for San Diego were not released, the agency’s advisory noted that surf in Los Angeles County was expected to reach 6 to 9 feet, building to 8 to 12 feet, with similar conditions anticipated in neighboring Ventura County.
Further north, the impact intensified. Manhattan Beach announced the closure of its iconic pier on Saturday morning, a rare step for the popular tourist spot that houses an aquarium. At the pier, onlookers described the waves as larger than any seen in years.
National Weather Service Bay Area meteorologist Rachel Kennedy said the service had instituted a high surf warning with waves over 25 feet along much of the coast. At the famed Mavericks surf break in San Mateo County, “more localized” waves reached 50 to 60 feet. The largest wave recorded Saturday morning at a buoy off Point Reyes measured 31.2 feet, the highest reading since 2015.
In Santa Cruz County, the sheriff’s office issued an evacuation warning for a stretch of coastline near Capitola, where the surf was especially forceful. Video footage from Pacifica and Half Moon Bay showed water surging onto streets, knocking down pedestrians and prompting residents to flee the shoreline.
Kennedy explained that the swell was driven by a storm system with hurricane‑force winds in the Pacific’s northeast, near the Gulf of Alaska, generating a strong northwesterly swell. She cautioned that while the initial swell was on a downtrend, additional northwesterly swells were expected later in the week, potentially bringing more damaging waves.
What’s next: The National Weather Service expects a couple more swells to arrive this week as the Pacific remains active. Residents along the San Diego coastline are urged to monitor local advisories, avoid the water, and stay prepared for possible further beach closures and safety alerts.
Sources: latimes.com, us.headtopics.com
