2 days of rain, 4 days of high surf coming to Southern California
LOS ANGELES — High surf will pound the Southland Coast for four days beginning early Tuesday evening on the eve of a bout of rain that could unleash rockslides, mudslides and debris flows down slopes recently denuded by wildfires, National Weather Service forecasters said.
A high surf advisory — a more serious level of warning than the beach hazard statement that the NWS said Monday would be issued Tuesday — will be in force in L.A. County from 6 p.m. Tuesday until 10 p.m. Friday, and in Orange County from 2 a.m. Wednesday until 10 p.m. Friday.
Surf of 6 to 12 feet is expected in L.A. County and of 5 to 8 feet in Orange County with occasional 9-foot sets, according to the NWS.
Both in Oxnard, where L.A. County conditions are monitored, and in San Diego, where Orange County conditions are observed, NWS forecasters said the high surf and accompanying rip currents would create an increased risk of drowning for swimmers and surfers, and sneaker waves would create hazards on shore amid minor coastal flooding and minor beach erosion.
“There is an increased risk for ocean drowning,” according to an NWS statement. “Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Large breaking waves can wash people off beaches and rocks and capsize small boats near shore. Pooling of sea water is possible around high tide at beach and harbor areas.”
The NWS also warned that rain will douse the region Wednesday and Thursday.
It will start Wednesday along the Central Coast and work its way south, reaching LA and Ventura counties Wednesday night, forecasters said. Widespread rainfall is expected Thursday.
Forecasters said that between a half-inch and 2 inches of rain is expected in LA and Ventura County as a result of the impending rain, and between a half-inch and an inch-and-a-half in Orange County.
They said the rain could unleash rockslides, mudslides and debris flows down slopes recently denuded by wildfires at the sites of the Woolsey fire in LA and Ventura counties, the Hill fire in Ventura County and the Holy fire in Orange County.
The weather service forecast partly cloudy skies in LA County Tuesday and highs of 65 degrees on Mount Wilson; 70 in Lancaster and Avalon; 71 in Palmdale; 73 in Long Beach, San Gabriel, Santa Clarita and at LAX; 74 in Burbank; 75 in downtown LA and Pasadena; and 78 in Woodland Hills. Wednesday’s temperatures will be up to 7 degrees lower Wednesday amid Partly cloudy skies and around 10 another degrees lower amid rain Thursday.
Sunny skies were forecast in Orange County Tuesday, along with highs of 60 on Santiago Peak; 67 in San Clemente; 68 in Laguna Beach and on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 69 in Newport Beach; 72 in Fremont Canyon; 73 in Yorba Linda; and 75 in Mission Viejo, Irvine and Anaheim; and 76 in Fullerton. Highs will be up to 6 degrees lower amid sunny skies Wednesday and up to 10 degrees lower amid showers Thursday.