Huge surf pounds beaches on West Coast and in Hawaii with some low-lying coastal areas flooding
LOS ANGELES — Strong surf rolled onto beaches on the West Coast and Hawaii on Thursday as a large swell generated by the stormy Pacific Ocean pushed toward the coastline and caused localized flooding.
Forecasters urged people to stay away from rocks and jetties, and not to turn their backs on the ocean because of the danger of 'sneaker waves' – occasionally much larger waves that can run far onto the sand and kill someone being washed off a beach.
A high surf warning for parts of Northern California said waves would range from 28 to 33 feet (8.5 to 10 meters) and up to 40 feet (12 meters) in some locations, the National Weather Service said, adding that there there were reports of flooding in low-lying coastal areas.
In Aptos, at the north end of Monterey Bay, surf washed over the beach and crashed into a parking lot, leaving the area littered with debris. Santa Cruz County warned people in several coastal areas to be ready to evacuate.
“Mother Nature is angry,” said Eve Krammer, a longtime Aptos resident. “I mean, these waves are gnarly. They're huge.”
The same area was ravaged by the ocean last January, when the west coast was ravaged by numerous atmospheric rivers.
“I feel for the people who are down here,” said Jeff Howard, another Aptos resident.
Although not as large, the waves along Southern California were also described as dangerous, with life-threatening rip currents. Still, surfers couldn't resist.
Patience was key, according to Alex Buford, 27, who caught waves just north of Manhattan Beach on the Los Angeles County coast.
“I waited a while because the waves were really sick, and it's kind of hard to get into even though I have a really big board,” he said. “I was just waiting for a good one and I got it and it took a long time. Quite big. It was sick.”
In Hawaii, weather forecasts predict waves of up to 9 to 12 meters along the north coast and up to 5.5 to 6.7 meters along the west coast of five islands.
Professional Hawaiian surfer Sheldon Paishon got ready to surf Thursday morning at Makaha, a world-famous surfing beach on the west side of Oahu.
Paishon, 30, has been surfing several spots around Oahu this week, taking advantage of the waves during this week's high surf warning that was in effect until Friday morning.
“There are always big waves in the winter in Hawaii,” he said.
He warned that novice surfers should contact lifeguards before entering the water and “make sure you have some people around you and stay safe.”
Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguards stationed at beaches in Oahu rescued 20 people along the island's famed North Shore on Wednesday, spokesman Shayne Enright said. They were also conducting thousands of “preventative actions,” she said.
“This time of year produces incredible surf, but it can also be very dangerous,” she said.
The dangerous surf could also create waves that could hit coastal areas and roads, the weather service warned.
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Jennifer Sinco Kelleher reported from Honolulu.