Western storms churned up huge surf, up to 30 foot swells, battering the California coast. Meteorologist Ian Oliver takes a look at the impressive wave heights.
SAN FRANCISCO – Up and down the California coast, monster waves battered beach towns Thursday churned up by a powerful storm in the Pacific Ocean.
From San Diego to Los Angeles and beyond San Francisco, the National Weather Service issued Coastal Flood Warnings and High Surf Warnings for breaking waves between 28 and 33 feet. Some locations were forecast to see waves as high as 40 feet.
The massive waves overtook beaches and coastal roads. Some even crashed against homes and businesses.
Monster wave after wave clobbered the Capitola Pier and crashed onto local businesses along the beach. Take a look at the inches of sea foam that look more like snow left behind.
The debris deposited on streets was so heavy that road crews used plows to clear the scenic State Highway 1, south of San Francisco. Other stretches of the road were too buried to clear.
CALIFORNIA BEACH HOME TO SOME OF LARGEST WAVES IN THE WORLD
Officials issued evacuation orders for several northern and central California coastal communities.
"We put evacuation warnings into place around 8 a.m. this morning for this area, and, as you can see, these waves are incredibly powerful," Ashley Keehn, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office Information Officer, told KTVU FOX 2. "They're washing logs up here. A lot of debris, a lot of driftwood. So we've been asking people to avoid the direct coastal area."
HOW WEATHER IMPACTS WAVES DURING SURFING COMPETITIONS
Not everyone heeded the advice, however, and ended up soaked.
ACTIVE EL NINO PATTERN DELIVERS WITH SURF AS HIGH AS 50 FEET IN PACIFIC
A large wave in Pacifica, California near San Francisco took one onlooker by surprise.
(KTVU FOX 2)
STRONG EL NINO WINTER: WHAT KIND OF WEATHER YOU CAN EXPECT
The waves kept coming. Take a look at this aerial picture of Ventura, California. The swells come in sets, one after another.
Swell after swell are lined up to crash into the coast in Ventura.
(FOX 11)
Ventura County rescue crews were kept busy with both rescues and injury calls as waves smashed windows and glass doors of homes and swept onlookers off piers and beaches.
A wave in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles, topped the pier. The NWS estimated that it was 20 feet high.
WATCH: MASSIVE ROGUE WAVE BATTERS CRUISE SHIP IN NORTH SEA
A 20-foot swell dwarfing the Ventura Pier.
(NWS Los Angeles / FOX Weather)
Coastal Flood Warnings and High Surf Warnings in Northern California expire late Thursday and early Friday morning. The NWS warned that the next set of big swells will arrive Saturday. The Los Angeles NWS office is not taking any chances, and Southern California warnings are in place through Saturday night. The worst of the flooding occurs at high tide.
"news" - Google News
December 29, 2023 at 05:40AM
https://ift.tt/nyg84Wp
Massive waves flood California beach towns as evacuations ordered - Fox Weather
"news" - Google News
https://ift.tt/iboErQa
https://ift.tt/UmKg3Dq
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Massive waves flood California beach towns as evacuations ordered - Fox Weather"
Post a Comment