MALIBU—The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory along with a coastal flood advisory for Los Angeles and Ventura County coastlines. Beachgoers, surfers, and lifeguards are being told to exercise extreme caution near the ocean and stay close to lifeguard towers. Officials warn of dangerous rip currents, which can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Malibu has been flagged as a high-risk zone.
The advisories took effect at 6 a.m. Saturday, September 5, and remain in effect until 11 p.m. Tuesday, September 8. The swell is forecast to peak Sunday and Monday.
Hurricane Marie is generating the surf as it churns offshore southwest of Baja California. The storm itself is not making landfall, but the ocean energy it produces is traveling northeast toward the California coastline. Marie’s rotating wind field over the open ocean generates long period swells that can travel for thousands of miles with little loss of energy. When those swells reach the shallower water off Malibu’s points, they steepen and grow more powerful, which is what triggered the high surf advisory.
As of Sunday, September 6, the surf report at Malibu First Point showed 4 to 6 foot plus surf with light 5 knot wind and a dominant swell of 4.3 feet at 14 seconds from 190 degrees.
Drivers heading out this Labor Day weekend should also be careful. Any rain during this period could make roads slick due to oil buildup from the dry summer months.
By Milan Manesh