Heat to build this weekend as surf subsides
Thunderous surf that pounded sections of the Newport Beach shoreline over the past several days is expected to die down this weekend, just as temperatures are beginning to rise and signal the arrival of summer.
Forecasters predict coastal Orange County cities will see sunny weather Saturday, with highs in the mid-70s. The heat will continue to build Sunday and Monday, with coastal highs reaching into the low 80s.
The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory Sunday through Monday, cautioning residents to avoid strenuous activities and stay hydrated.
A strong area of high pressure will push temperatures up to 20 degrees above normal — some into the high 90s — Sunday through Tuesday for much of inland Orange County areas.
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Newport Beach lifeguards expect the hot temperatures to bring crowds to the beach this weekend. But beachgoers should be wary of swimming in areas with large waves, officials say.
Surf at the Wedge, which reached up to 12 feet Friday, is expected to taper off gradually Saturday and Sunday. Waves are expected to reach 8 feet at the Wedge on Saturday and range from 4 to 5 feet Sunday.
“The surf is decreasing, but it will be big enough to get us some rescue activity this weekend,” said Lifeguard Battalion Chief Brent Jacobsen.
Jacobsen encouraged swimmers to ask lifeguards about conditions before entering the water and always swim near a staffed lifeguard tower.
He also suggested that people wading in the water do the “stingray shuffle” to ward off any sea life lurking in the sand. Beachgoers have reported seeing several stingrays each day for the past few months.
The thrill of large waves, which began Thursday at the Wedge, brought droves of surfers and bodyboarders to the shore. But they weren’t the only visitors.
A roughly 20-foot juvenile gray whale washed up near the shore at the Wedge around noon Friday. The whale was stuck in the sand along the shore for a several minutes before a wave provided the large mammal with enough momentum to wiggle itself back into deeper waters.
It was the first time in Jacobsen’s 35-year career as a Newport lifeguard that he’s seen a whale come that close to the dry sand.
“Luckily the whale was never fully out of the water and was able to get away on its own,” he said.
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Hannah Fry, [email protected]
Twitter: @HannahFryTCN
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