While it’s still unknown exactly how the approaching Hurricane Hilary will act when it reaches Southern California – likely as a tropical storm – lifeguards and coastal public works departments are preparing for the beach to get battered.
The latest data on Friday showed waves at south-facing beaches like Newport Beach and Huntington Beach in Orange County and Cabrillo Beach, areas of Palos Verdes and Zuma in Los Angeles County are expected to be 8- to 10-feet tall late Sunday and into Monday morning, with bigger sets up to 15 feet and even 20 feet at the Wedge in Newport Beach.
State Parks Superintendent Kevin Pearsall said sandbags have been put out to protect areas of vulnerable coast, with heavy machinery moving sand to create berms.
“Every state beach that may have higher-than-expected surf is prepared with sandbags throughout,” Pearsall said.
As a precaution, a junior ranger program scheduled for Monday has been canceled and if lightning comes within 10 miles of the coast, beaches will be closed, he said. Authorities will also be watching beach erosion levels at Crystal Cove and Capistrano Beach to Doheny State Beach, where sand has been hauled in recently to try and shore up the beach.
“We’re prepared for it and we’re expecting erosion, but whether or not it will take away the sand at Crystal Cove or Doheny, we don’t know yet,” he said.
While State Parks will keep entrances open when safe, Pearsall advises people to use caution when visiting the shore.
“You’ll get your lookie-loos who will be curious, they want to see 15-foot waves. We highly recommend no one goes to the beach when we have a storm like this,” he said.
In Seal Beach, which experienced some rare summer flooding during Hurricane Marie, the forecast is expected to be anywhere from 5 feet to 10 feet, with a possibility of local coastal flooding and winds up to 50 mph.
Newport Beach Lifeguard Chief Brian O’Rourke said berms have been shored up near the Balboa Pier and, while the storm is still unstable and is still unfolding, there will definitely be impacts along the coast. The same was done in Long Beach and Seal Beach and other areas of concern along the coast.
People should watch from afar and be warned of strong onshore winds, possible lightning, even ground tornadoes.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department Lifeguards put out an alert for a “tiny window for swell production based on the storm’s current location and forecast,” noting it will be a steep angle swell with impacts to mostly south and southeast facing exposures.
In Los Angeles County these locations include Cabrillo Beach, south- facing exposures along the Palos Verdes Peninsula, east-facing harbors on Catalina Island including Avalon and Isthmus, as well as Malibu and Zuma beaches in the northern half of the Santa Monica Bay.
“While these locations will likely see the largest potential for swell, be prepared to see elevated surf heights at all Los Angeles County beaches beginning Sunday and into early next week,” officials warned. Changes in the hurricane’s storm track could significantly change swell production and create elevated surf and strong currents, the alert says.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, in a Friday email, said the city is closely monitoring the situation and working with disaster preparedness teams in advance to address challenges that could arise.
“Our Long Beach emergency response teams are on high alert,” Richardson said, “and we have comprehensive plans in place to address any potential impacts of the hurricane.”
Port of Los Angeles officials were busy Friday contacting local marinas, small boat operators, marine terminals, dockworkers and cruise lines to make sure they were aware of — and prepared for — storm conditions, according to a released statement.
As necessary, the port will arrange to relocate vessels to anchorage points off shore to ride the storm out, relying on the assistance of the Los Angeles Port Pilots and Marine Exchange of Southern California, officials said, also urging residents to stay away from the shoreline and beaches throughout the duration of the storm.
A notice also went out from the Marine Exchange of Southern California advising large vessels headed for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach – should wind gusts exceed 35 knots either in the forecast or being observed – to employ a second anchor, remain more than 3 nautical miles from other vessels at all times and stay 3 nautical miles away from traffic lanes and the shore. Commercial vessels also were advised to maintain continuous radio listening watch.
“Though we rarely receive rainfall of this magnitude, the Port of Long Beach has a comprehensive, all-hazard business continuity plan. We’ve built our facilities to minimize damage in any natural disaster,” Mario Cordero, CEO of the Port of Long Beach, said in a statement.
OC Parks used heavy equipment to clear storm drains at Capistrano Beach to help reduce the chance of flooding and also removed debris and cleared drainage gates and outlets, and placed sandbags to prevent clogging and flooding.
“These efforts are intended to help control the movement of water and limit impacts to the beaches and coastal amenities,” said public information officer Danielle Kennedy.
For big-wave surfers, word of a hurricane brings a buzz of excitement at the beach.
Will waves be epic, like when Hurricane Marie in 2014 produced some of the biggest, best waves in recent memory? Just how big will waves get – and will wind be onshore and messy, or will they whip from offshore to perfectly shape the surf?
Unlike typical Southern Hemisphere swells that can be the size of Australia formed by wind thousands of miles away and predicted sometimes weeks in advance, waves produced by hurricane or tropical storms are fickle and can change with a slight tweak in direction.
Sometimes, they turn out to be duds, fizzing out before they get into the Southern California swell window. But there’s other times they roar in, producing massive waves that batter the beach and coastline, giving thrills to big-wave riders who live for such days, but also having potential to cause flooding, damage piers and parking lots or chomp away valuable sand.
“I know there will be surfers out there, but there will be dangerous conditions,” O’Rourke said. “You need to know your limits. This swell right now, as far as I can tell, advanced or very expert surfers are the only ones who should attempt to be in the water.”
Because the trajectory of the storm is so close to the region, the storm surge will likely roar in and then leave very quickly.
“Tropical storms and hurricanes are unpredictable,” he said. “That’s why you have to be cautious, it can be less than what we think, or greater, in a short period of time.”
Tide levels aren’t expected to be extremely high, like the king tides that soaked Newport Beach and Seal Beach streets a few weeks ago, which is likely good news for areas of the coast prone to flooding. Still, Newport Beach will have public works staff out ready to pump seawater if needed.
People should stay off piers and jetties during the storm and, if needed, they will be closed, O’Rourke said.
“We are cautiously looking at the storm and making some preparations to deal with it appropriately as each moment unfolds here,” O’Rourke said. “We just really hope it doesn’t affect anyone’s health or properties.”
