A day after a man died beneath ocean-swept debris and another man went missing along the California coast, officials warned people on Tuesday to stay away from many of the state’s beaches because of an unusually powerful surf that arrived just before the holidays.
The thrashing of Pacific Ocean waves on Monday also caused part of an iconic wooden pier in Santa Cruz, Calif., to collapse, sending three people into the sea, along with a large bathroom structure. The individuals were rescued and did not suffer serious injuries, according to the city’s mayor.
Dangerous surf pounded California beaches on Monday with waves up to 40 feet tall, and they were even bigger in some locations, including the Mavericks surf break off Half Moon Bay, a spot known for its big waves, 15 miles south of San Francisco.
The Weather Service extended a high surf warning through 6 p.m. Pacific time on Tuesday for coastal areas in the greater Bay Area, stretching from the Sonoma Coast to Monterey Bay. A similar warning was in place until midday in Central and Southern California.
“Large breaking waves will continue to produce deadly conditions through the day,” the agency warned in its forecast.
The tumultuous surf was the result of a powerful storm that formed in the western Pacific Ocean.
“We did analyze and forecast the storm that created this swell,” said James Clark, a marine forecaster with the Ocean Prediction Center. “It was close to a record-breaking storm that hit its peak intensity out by the international date line, northwest of Hawaii.”
The same storm sent monster waves to the Hawaiian Islands and allowed the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, an international surf competition, to take place on Oahu at Waimea Beach on Sunday. The event rarely happens and only takes place when the conditions are just right.
Driven by hurricane-force winds, the storm churned up ocean waters before it eventually pushed across British Columbia, said Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Monterey.
“We are expected to have treacherous wave conditions continue through much of the week,” Mr. Gass said.
On Monday, a man died after being overcome by debris that swept ashore at Sunset State Beach, about 15 miles southeast of Santa Cruz. Elsewhere in the Monterey Bay region, a man went missing on Monday after being overcome by high surf at Marina State Beach. He was not found before the authorities had to call off search efforts because conditions grew too dangerous, according to the Marina Police Department.
Storms have caused intense swells in recent years near Santa Cruz and Monterey. Nearly two years ago, waves crashed ashore and flooded beach towns, with energy intense enough to damage a pier at Seacliff State Beach and lead to its demise.
People in advisory areas, especially inexperienced swimmers, were cautioned to stay away from ocean waters throughout California, if possible, said Joe Sirar, a meteorologist at the Weather Service in Oxnard, Calif., which covers Los Angeles.
“High surf, it will fluctuate,” Mr. Sirar said. “So it kind of looks like normal surf and then suddenly it comes in very high and can sweep people off jetties.”
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