Hurricane Marie Triggers Hazardous Conditions at Southern California Beaches
POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, USA — Over the Labor Day weekend, Hurricane Marie, located far out in the Pacific, caused hazardous conditions and flooding at several southern California beaches, posing a...
POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, USA — Over the Labor Day weekend, Hurricane Marie, located far out in the Pacific, caused hazardous conditions and flooding at several southern California beaches, posing a significant threat to swimmers and surfers.
>
Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, stated on Sunday that the hurricane, churning hundreds of miles off the coast, generated ‘life-threatening’ conditions. South-facing beaches experienced waves as high as 10 feet (3 meters).
>
According to Schoenfeld, lifeguards reported extremely dangerous surf conditions, particularly due to the presence of strong rip currents.
>
While Hurricane Marie is not expected to make landfall, it will weaken to a tropical storm by late Sunday. However, it will still bring rain to parts of Los Angeles County before dissipating. Some areas have already received up to a quarter inch of rain on Sunday.
>
The National Weather Service recommended that people swim only near lifeguards and avoid rock jetties for their safety.
>
On Sunday, Long Beach’s city health officer issued an advisory, cautioning residents against swimming at any of the city’s beaches or bays for at least three days. The advisory warned that recent heavy rainfall could cause runoff from storm drains and rivers, creating unhealthy conditions for swimmers.
>
Seal Beach, a coastal city in Orange County, announced the closure of two beachfront parking lots until Wednesday morning to protect life and property from anticipated elevated surf and coastal flooding. The Seal Beach Municipal Pier, however, remained open.
📄 POLICY WIRE WHITEPAPER PUBLISHED: PAKISTAN’S NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY PRIORITIES
>
Adam Yacenda, the lifeguard battalion chief for the Newport Beach Fire Department, reported that lifeguards conducted 177 rescues on Saturday. Despite seeing higher waves this summer compared to previous years, he noted that such a high number of daily rescues is still noteworthy.
>
Yacenda emphasized that only experienced surfers should attempt to enter the water, given the very strong rip currents and red-flag conditions along the entire beach.
>
The storm also brought the risk of coastal flooding, affecting beaches, bike paths, roads, and some low-lying neighborhoods.
>
The National Hurricane Center warned that these dangerous beach conditions are expected to persist for another couple of days.
“>
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
