Southern California Faces Strong Waves from Hurricane Polo

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a coastal flooding alert for Southern California communities. The measure responds to the waves generated by Hurricane Polo, which on Monday remained a Category 3 in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Baja California Sur.

The alert, in effect until 5 p.m. Tuesday, covers beaches in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, as well as the Malibu coast. Southward-facing beaches could experience strong waves, moderate coastal flooding, and dangerous swimming currents.

Polo was approaching the Baja California peninsula with sustained winds of 115 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. The agency warned of life-threatening winds, flash flooding, and landslides in Mexican territory.

Which coastal areas face the greatest flood risk

Areas of greatest concern include Avalon on Catalina Island, as well as Long Beach and Malibu. Meteorologists warned that Polo’s waves arrive from a more southeastern direction than those from Marie, leaving Avalon particularly exposed.

Wave heights on Los Angeles and Ventura beaches are expected to reach between 4 and 7 feet on Monday and Tuesday. High tide will reach its peak during the late morning hours on both days, with a height near 7 feet.

«There is significant concern about coastal flooding on vulnerable southward-facing beaches, although the magnitude remains uncertain,» NWS meteorologists said, according to MyNewsLA. The agency also warned of shallow seawater flooding on boardwalks, parking lots, and beachfront roads.

The community still recovers from Hurricane Marie

Although experts anticipate that Polo’s waves will be less severe than those from Marie, which occurred early this month, persistent erosion effects could worsen flooding. Marie caused the collapse of a section of the Long Beach boardwalk just three weeks ago, according to KTLA.

Residents of coastal areas have begun accumulating sandbags and reinforcing doors and windows to protect their properties. In Newport Beach, work crews were moving sand and reinforcing dunes ahead of the incoming waves.

Alongside Polo, a second system, Tropical Storm Odalys, is generating additional waves that also affect the region’s coastal waters. Both phenomena are part of what local media described as an unusual hurricane season in the Pacific.

National Weather Service recommendations for protection

The NWS urges residents in alert zones to take measures to protect flood-prone properties. It also asks the public to stay away from the water due to the risk of rip currents, which can pull swimmers out to sea.

Authorities also ask people to avoid walking on rocky jetties, where waves can cause dangerous falls. Those living near the coast should review coastal flood alert maps before heading to the beach.

It is recommended to follow NWS and local government updates over the next few days, as wave intensity can vary. Once the hurricane effects pass, higher temperatures are expected mid-week, with highs reaching up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in several inland areas of Southern California.