Though Hurricane Marie continued to weaken in the southern Pacific Ocean — and was expected to remain hundreds of miles off Southern California — the region was feeling the effects of the storm over the long holiday weekend.
Tropical moisture began to move in Saturday night, bringing rainfall Sunday, as well as thunderstorms.
Surf was elevated along much of the coast Sunday, and will remain so on Monday, with the National Weather Service continuing to issue warnings for beachgoers.
Here’s what you need to know:
Rain sweeping through SoCal
Heavy rain and thunderstorms swept across Southern California from early Sunday morning through the evening as remnants of Hurricane Marie moved through the region, affecting Ventura, Santa Barbara, Orange, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Flood advisories were issued through 8 p.m. Sunday across L.A. County and surrounding areas, covering downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, the San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita, according to the National Weather Service.
Residents in Arcadia, as well as a local police station, lost power amid the heavy showers, KTLA 5 reported.
Dense fog and gloomy gray skies blanketed coastal L.A. and the downtown basin on Sunday, while surrounding inland areas and the San Gabriel foothills saw as much as three-quarters of an inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Ventura County recorded around a quarter of an inch, while Santa Barbara County received only trace amounts, according to the weather service.
For foothill communities, the weather service expected elevated totals of up to 1.5 inches of rain through Sunday night driven by moist tropical air being pushed up against the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains.
UC climate scientist Daniel Swain called the expected precipitation a “mainly beneficial rainfall — little flood risk, but also low dry lightning (wildfire) risk.”
Although Sunday probably had the heaviest rainfall of the weekend, some showers could also arrive Monday and Tuesday.
This week’s heat isn’t expected to relent until possibly Friday in L.A., Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, the weather service says. Wednesday will see maximum highs of 95 to 105 degrees, with temperatures continuing to be very warm into Thursday and possibly Friday. There’s a 60% to 70% chance of heat advisories for Wednesday and Thursday along the coast and in the valleys. In Orange and San Diego counties, widespread minor to moderate heat risk is forecast, peaking Wednesday and Thursday, with highs in the 80s along the coast, according to the weather service.
Heat is expected midweek throughout Southern California, with highs in San Diego and Orange counties in the 80s along the coastline.
(National Weather Service)
Be careful at the beach
The storm will continue to cause large swells up to 7 feet high along Southern California’s coast, with a high surf advisory in effect through late Tuesday for L.A., Orange and San Diego counties’ beaches.
“Rip currents will be widespread and very strong, potentially pulling swimmers and surfers out to sea,” the advisory said. “Large breaking waves can cause injury, wash people off beaches and rocks, and capsize small boats near shore.”
On Sunday, the city of Malibu closed its beaches due to lightning. According to officials, L.A. County lifeguards closed and cleared beaches around 12:40 p.m. amid public safety concerns of lightning moving from Santa Monica to Malibu.
Crashing waves at Point Dume continued to erode coastal bluffs next to recent repairs and new boulder barriers. Last month, severe erosion damaged beach restrooms, forcing temporary facility setups and widespread beach closures in Point Dume and Long Beach. Since late August, Westward Beach Road has been closed, though Point Dume State Beach remains open, according to California State Parks.
On Sunday, waves eroded the bluff at Point Dume State Beach where high surf previously eroded the bluff last month.
(OnScene.TV)
Farther down the coast, video footage from Long Beach shows powerful waves slamming into the coastline. City officials confirmed that the boardwalk was closed due to unsafe conditions.
According to Long Beach Councilmember Kristina Duggan, higher tides and swells are expected over the next 24 to 48 hours. “If you are not a [Long Beach] Peninsula resident, please avoid coming to the area to view the conditions,” Duggan added.
L.A. County public health officials caution against entering the ocean through Sept. 9 due to potential bacteria spikes from storm runoff. The advisory applies to all L.A. County beaches.
The weather service advises people to stay off of jetties, piers, rocks and other waterside infrastructure. It also warns people to “avoid hazardous surf and NEVER turn your back on the ocean.”