After a Christmas lull, towering waves will wallop California coast again

Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times on Dec 25, 2024

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Stormy seas along the California coast calmed a bit for the Christmas holiday, but powerful ocean waves were expected to return to the Bay Area for the rest of the week.

Waves up to 30 feet high were expected to crash ashore in Northern California between Thursday morning and Sunday afternoon. The National Weather Service issued a high-surf advisory, warning swimmers and boaters to beware of dangerous conditions.

The Bay Area will see high temperatures in the low 60s and a strong chance of rain with patchy fog throughout the weekend, according to meteorologists. The rain could cause flooding in local creeks and heavily paved areas.

Early in the week, as the ocean raged against the coast, the outer portion of the historic Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed, plunging three people into turbulent waters; all of them were later rescued. Storm-tossed debris killed a man in Monterey Bay.

While waves of this magnitude are uncommon, the deadly conditions are consistent with this time of year, when the surf is usually highest along California's coast, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Brayden Murdock.

"The last time we saw some swells like this was probably early January 2023," Murdock said. "So it's not terribly common to get this extreme — but this time of year, it's not out of the question."

"Luckily, it's one of the coldest times of year, so there's not too many people out and about on the shoreline," he added. "But there are some things that people need to be cautious about."

The winter storms also caused flooding on highways and major roads in Berkeley and Oakland, and a rock slide in rural Sonoma County.

In Southern California, conditions were milder. After a foggy and overcast start to Christmas morning, the clouds dispersed, allowing the sun to come through.

Weather Service meteorologists had forecast waves cresting between 5 to 10 feet in Los Angeles and Orange counties for Christmas Day. The highest waves, up to 15 feet, were anticipated to last through the week farther north in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

High temperatures were expected to remain in the upper 60s for the remainder of the week, with no rain in the forecast.

Meteorologists cautioned motorists about powerful gusts in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys that could make driving difficult for larger vehicles.

The blustery weather spells trouble amid abnormally dry weather in Southern California. Downtown Los Angeles has typically received about 4 inches of rain by this point in the wet season, which begins in October and lasts through March. So far this year, it has gotten about 0.16 inches.

Gusts of up to 60 miles per hour will create elevated wildfire risk, especially next week, when Santa Ana winds could funnel dry, hot air through Southern California mountain passes, according to Ariel Cohen, the meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office in Oxnard.

The highest threat was expected to be next Monday through Thursday, "when the drier air and somewhat warmer temperatures will bring a higher fire-weather risk," Cohen said.

Earlier this month, the Franklin fire ignited more than 4,000 acres in Malibu. The fast-moving blaze, largely driven by strong Santa Ana winds, damaged or destroyed dozens of structures and encroached on the campus of Pepperdine University.