Tropical Storm Elida will produce waves as high as 8-to-9 feet at some San Diego County beaches starting on Sunday, generating classic summer surf and highly dangerous rip currents, the National Weather Service says.
The waves will mostly be in the 4- to 7-foot range. But forecasters say far bigger sets could hit beaches that face south or southwest, including Ocean Beach, Coronado Beach, La Jolla Shores, Windansea Beach, Big Wedge, and Tourmaline.
The weather service regards rip currents like the ones that will occur Sunday through Tuesday to be potentially life-threatening, even for seasoned surfers.
Sea surface temperatures are in the 70-74 degree range, which will draw a lot of people into the ocean. Beach-goers should shuffle their feet when they enter the water to avoid directly stepping on stingrays and getting stung.