Hurricane Rachel's Swell Is Already Hitting Southern California
Hurricane Rachel is still hundreds of miles offshore, but Southern California is already feeling it. Dramatic footage from Long Beach shows waves slamming into seawalls and sending spray several stories into the air, while in Laguna Beach, ocean water pushed into downtown streets as high tides, hurricane swell and already elevated sea levels combined.
Rachel has weakened into a tropical storm. As of Thursday evening, the National Hurricane Center placed it roughly 995 miles west of southern Baja California with winds of 60 mph, and forecasters expect a sharp turn toward Baja and Southern California. The NHC warns that the swells will keep building through the weekend and are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
What I found interesting is that the official numbers are less spectacular than the videos. The National Weather Service forecasts 3 to 5 foot surf for Los Angeles County, and in Orange and San Diego counties surf has been running 3 to 5 feet with sets to 7 feet, with tides peaking around 6.5 to 7 feet.
The key detail is the baseline. An El Niño-fueled Kelvin wave has reached California, capable of raising background sea levels by roughly 6 to 12 inches, and ocean temperatures are running about 7 to 8 degrees above average. That is why even modest swell causes so much trouble, and a coastal flood advisory stays in effect through Tuesday, with Sunday looking the most concerning.
For anyone planning to surf or just watch the waves this weekend, this is a good reminder to check the forecast and tide times carefully and to respect the rip current warnings.
Source: SURFER
Rachel has weakened into a tropical storm. As of Thursday evening, the National Hurricane Center placed it roughly 995 miles west of southern Baja California with winds of 60 mph, and forecasters expect a sharp turn toward Baja and Southern California. The NHC warns that the swells will keep building through the weekend and are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
What I found interesting is that the official numbers are less spectacular than the videos. The National Weather Service forecasts 3 to 5 foot surf for Los Angeles County, and in Orange and San Diego counties surf has been running 3 to 5 feet with sets to 7 feet, with tides peaking around 6.5 to 7 feet.
The key detail is the baseline. An El Niño-fueled Kelvin wave has reached California, capable of raising background sea levels by roughly 6 to 12 inches, and ocean temperatures are running about 7 to 8 degrees above average. That is why even modest swell causes so much trouble, and a coastal flood advisory stays in effect through Tuesday, with Sunday looking the most concerning.
For anyone planning to surf or just watch the waves this weekend, this is a good reminder to check the forecast and tide times carefully and to respect the rip current warnings.
Source: SURFER
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