The U.S. Coast Guard is urging mariners to prepare for what they call a "rare" weather event on Sunday.
Officials say offshore conditions include potential gusts approaching 50 knots with seas nearing 20 feet.
Beaches throughout the area are expected to have exceptionally high surf, large breaking waves and dangerous rip currents.
"This is a very rare weather event for Southern California," said Chief Warrant Officer John Rose, a search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach. "For your safety, and for the safety of Coast Guard personnel and our interagency search and rescue partners, we strongly encourage you to stay off the water until these dangerous conditions subside."
The Coast Guard recommends taking the following precautions to protect yourself and your vessel(s):
- Monitor the weather and heed all marine warnings
- Recreational boaters, personal watercraft, paddle craft users, surfers and swimmers are advised to stay off the water due to hazardous sea conditions
- Stay off rocks and jetties, as waves can be unpredictable
- Double-check mooring lines when securing boats and take precautions for items stored loosely aboard
- Secure all paddle craft so they do not end up in the water and cause a false distress alert
- If mariners must leave the pier, they should create a float plan and send it to friends and families before getting underway. Items to note include of a description of the vessel, the number of people aboard, the destination and the expected return time
- Always wear a properly fitted life jacket when on the water and use VHF-FM channel 16 to notify rescuers in the event of an emergency
For more information on weather advisories, click here.
