Ventura County fire helicopter patrols the coastline over heavy surf south of Ventura Pier on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in Ventura, Calif.
Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagA massive wave injured eight people and sent onlookers running on Thursday when unusually high surf pounded coastal areas of Ventura, a beach town about an hour northwest of Los Angeles.
The Ventura County Fire Department posted a video on social media showing the scary moment a “rogue wave” breached the seawall at the end of Seaward Avenue. In the footage, water pours into a parking lot and people are carried along in the surge.
The fire department said eight people were taken to local hospitals.
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The monster wave occurred during high tide and when the National Weather Service had warned of unusually high surf.
“It was a combination of many factors that brought about that surge in Ventura and Ventura Harbor,” said Ariel Cohen, lead meteorologist with the weather service’s Los Angeles area office. “At the time of high tide, we had a tremendous amount of wave energy … and the collection of all that energy resulted in a surge of water that extended into coastal Ventura. It was midday when this happened; the flooding was occurring at other points during the day as well.”
Sand, water and foam inundated Pittsfield Lane after a seawall and sand berm were breached by high surf on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in Ventura, Calif.
Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagBoth Northern and Southern California have seen high surf this week, with waves at beaches reaching over 30 feet. Some locations such as Mavericks at Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay have seen waves up to 40 feet. On Thursday, the waves at Mavericks drew onlookers eager to see the massive surf. Surfer Magazine shared a video showing a sneaker wave crashing into people on the beach.
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Another video captured by KSBW-TV showed kids soaked by waves in Santa Cruz. The weather service reshared the footage and used it as a warning to California residents: “This video is a prime example of why we urge people to stay AWAY from the water! Waves can EASILY knock people down and sweep them away. Use extreme caution! These waves are breaking at 28-33′ and can easily breach the tops of low cliffs or seawalls like those seen here.”
Brad Steward, right, joins neighbors with shovels as they attempt to remove sand to allow water to drain after a seawall and sand berm were breached by high surf on Bath Lane on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in Ventura, Calif.
Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag“We have very complex low-pressure systems off California, over the waters, that have radiated outward toward the coast of California,” he said. “We have a re-enforcing wave front that is going to be coming through tonight into tomorrow morning, bringing an extremely dangerous situation to beaches in Southern California.”
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The weather service has a high surf warning in effect for San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County and Los Angeles County beaches through 10 p.m. Saturday. A warning is in effect for Orange County and San Diego County beaches through 2 a.m. Monday.
While the surf was easing in Northern California on Friday, the weather service is still warning of dangerous waves and has a high surf advisory in effect through 6 p.m. Friday for beaches running from Point Reyes National Seashore and the North Bay to the Big Sur Coast.