Beach Hazards, Swell Pounds Palisades Coastline

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — The National Weather Service issued a beach hazard statement Thursday, which called for another day of high surf and dangerous rip currents along the Orange County and Los Angeles County coastlines.

The beach hazards statement, which is marginally less serious than a high surf advisory, will continue through Thursday evening in L.A. County and was expected to expire Thursday afternoon in Orange County.

Surf of 3 to 6 feet was expected in Orange County, 4 to 6 feet pounded the L.A County coast, with sets of up to 7 feet possible in both counties. Surfers and body boarders rushed to the coast to check out the waves.

The high surf results from a long-period southerly swell, the same swell which brought a 78-foot wave to New Zealand over the weekend.

The weather service warned that conditions raise the risk of drowning for swimmers and surfers.

"Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Large breaking waves can wash people off beaches and rocks and capsize small boats near shore," according to a statement.

A warming trend will get underway Saturday, and temperatures will climb several degrees Sunday.

The NWS forecast partly cloudy skies in L.A. County Thursday and highs of 64 degrees in Avalon; 65 at LAX; 66 on Mount Wilson; 68 in Downtown L.A. and San Gabriel; 69 in Long Beach, Pasadena and Burbank; 71 in Saugus; 72 in Woodland Hills; 79 in Lancaster; and 80 in Palmdale.

A combination of mostly cloudy and partly cloudy skies is expected in Orange County, along with highs of 66 in Newport Beach and San Clemente; 65 in Laguna Beach; 69 in Fullerton, Anaheim and Irvine; and 70 in Yorba Linda. Conditions will remain the same at least through Wednesday.

Photo: courtesy Seth @OceanMethod on Instagram