High Surf — Orange County Coastal Areas, California

2014-07-06 to 2014-07-07 · Orange County Coastal Areas, California

Event narrative

Laguna and Huntington Beach lifeguards reported 6 to 8 foot surf and long, wide and powerful rip currents on the 6th. Huntington Beach lifeguards reported 8 to 10 foot surf along with wide and powerful rip currents on the 7th. A lifeguard fatality was reported during a rescue in high surf and strong rip currents at Newport Beach, time unknown. The lifeguard was one of the ones that works on patrol boats. He went in on rescue and somehow got into trouble, was underwater for 2.5 hours. They found him and performed CPR but he died.

Wider weather episode

A 3 to 4 foot south swell with a period of 20 to 23 seconds brought high surf ans strong rip currents along the south-facing beaches of Orange and northern San Diego Counties. Orange County reported 6 to 8 foot surf with sets to 10 feet near Huntington Beach, with very strong rip currents. One fatality was reported during an attempted rip current rescue near Newport Beach.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 535039. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.