Big surf and high temperatures will greet beach crowds this week

The hundreds of thousands of people likely to visit local beaches this Fourth of July week will be met by large waves expected to build late Wednesday and last through Friday.

Another type of wave also is in store for the area — heat. The mercury in Costa Mesa is expected to rise to the mid-90s Friday and through the weekend. Huntington Beach will see temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s throughout the weekend, while Newport Beach will be around 80, according to the National Weather Service.

The sizable surf is the result of Hurricane Fabio, which on Tuesday was more than 600 miles southwest of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, according to the weather service.

Waves at most south-facing beaches are expected to be 6 to 8 feet, with sets of 10 to 12 feet in some areas of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach beginning Wednesday night.

In addition to the surf, strong rip currents could pose a danger to swimmers, forecasters said.

Newport Beach lifeguard Battalion Chief Mike Halphide said his department expects 80,000 to 100,000 people a day to visit city beaches in the latter half of the week. The number may be slightly higher on the Fourth of July, he said.

In response, he said, the department is bringing in additional lifeguards and extending lifeguard hours to accommodate the crowds.

“People are going to get to the beach earlier and stay later because of the weather,” he said. “We’re ready for the Fourth [of July] and we’re going to roll that surge status through the weekend.”

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN