Hurricane Marie stayed hundreds of miles offshore, but it still created dangerous beach conditions along Southern California, including flooding, strong currents, and surf up to 10 feet at some south-facing beaches. The National Weather Service described the conditions as “life-threatening” and urged people to swim only near lifeguards and stay off rock jetties. Long Beach issued a three-day advisory warning people not to swim at city beaches or bays because storm runoff could create unhealthy water conditions. Newport Beach lifeguards made 177 rescues in a single day as officials warned of very strong rip currents and red-flag conditions across the beach.
Why This Matters:
A storm does not have to make landfall to put communities in danger. Offshore systems can still send powerful waves, dangerous currents, coastal flooding, contaminated runoff, and road impacts into beach towns with little warning. For families near the coast or traveling during hurricane season, conditions can change fast even when the storm stays far out at sea. This is a reminder to take surf warnings, evacuation guidance, road closures, and local emergency alerts seriously before a distant storm becomes a local emergency.
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Source: ABC News / Associated Press
By: Cybele Mayes-Osterman
