Hurricane swell drops, but dangers still loom for beachgoers beating the heat
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A swell brought to Southern California by Hurricane Fabio dropped in size quickly, Friday, but there was still plenty of energy in the water to keep lifeguards busy as crowds flocked to the beach to beat the heat.
“We’re making a lot of rescues,” said Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Claude Panis.
Waves on Thursday reached 10-foot along some stretches of coast, but the swell peaked overnight and by Friday waves were in the 3- to 5-foot range at south-facing beaches.
The smaller surf, however, can be even more hazardous to beachgoers unfamiliar with the ocean.
“It’s not the size that would intimidate, as much as the bigger waves,” Panis said. “The caution is, there’s still a lot of water moving. Those rip currents are strong. Combined with the heat wave, it’s keeping us busy.”
Panis expects to stay busy through the weekend as strong surf and heat continues. Surf is still expected to be in the 3- to 5-foot range Saturday before dropping to 3- to 4-foot on Sunday, according to Surfline.com.
“We’re still supposed to be hot tomorrow, still in the triple digits inland and lower 90s in Huntington Beach,” Panis said Friday. “People are going to want to go to the beach and cool off. Check with a lifeguard before going out; there’s treacherous rip currents out there.”