Surf’s Up: Cyclone Sends High Waves to Southland

Waves up to eight feet churned by a tropical cyclone off Mexico pounded Southern California beaches today, creating a hazard for swimmers but a blessing for surfers.

The heavy surf, spawned by downgraded Hurricane Javier, kept lifeguards on the alert all along the coast.

The powerful waves will continue rolling to shore through the weekend as Javier expends its remaining energy 1,000 miles southwest of Los Angeles, meteorologists said.

Lifeguards reported average breakers from three to five feet today, with occasional sets to eight feet at Newport Beach, four- to six-foot breakers at Huntington Beach and two- to five-foot breakers at Zuma Beach.

Hazardous Riptides

“We’re using loudspeakers on our trucks to warn people they are in a hazardous riptide area,” said lifeguard Lt. James Richards at Zuma, the county’s largest beach with a daily weekend crowd of 100,000.

“They are starting to pay attention to us,” he said. “They think before going into the water now.”

Hundreds of surfers lured by the storm report bobbed in the water at dawn Friday at Malibu, Topanga and Sunset to “thrash” and glide across overhead wave faces.

Forecasters issued a special heavy surf advisory for the Labor Day weekend that warned of Javier’s continuing influence along the coast, particularly at south-facing beaches like Malibu, Huntington and Newport.

Irregular Intervals

“The largest sets are arriving at irregular intervals, about every half hour, and it is still dangerous to fish or observe the waves from exposed coastal structures or rocks,” meteorologist Bob Grebe said.

Those frightened by the turbulent waters will be able to deepen their summer bronze on a final holiday weekend before returning to school and jobs.