Rip Current — Orange County Coastal Areas, California

2012-01-02 · Orange County Coastal Areas, California

Event narrative

During the swell increase on Monday the 2nd, a 26-year-old male and his friend were swept out past the surf zone in a strong rip current at Huntington Beach. The man's friend was pulled to safety by a nearby beach-goer, but did not want to come in himself. It took a helicopter two hours to recover his body, but by that time he had died.

Wider weather episode

A storm in the central, north Pacific sent a large, long-period west swell into the Southern California coastal waters from the 2nd through the 3rd, causing surf of 5 to 8 feet with max sets 10-14 feet along the Orange and San Diego County beaches. Only minor damage was reported in Orange County, however one fatality did occur.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 359356. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.