Persistent high surf and heavy flooding threats have left California’s coastal residents on high alert following severe storms blamed for one man’s death and the collapse of part of the Santa Cruz municipal wharf, which tossed three individuals safety from the structure.
On Christmas Eve, the National Weather Service warned of dangerously large waves reaching up to 35 feet (10.7 meters). Its warnings included alerts to avoid beaches, with local officials emphasizing the unpredictability of the powerful surf. “Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people” from rocks and jetties, the weather service cautioned.
Santa Cruz, which recently saw substantial renovations to its municipal wharf, faced significant disruptions after its partial collapse on Monday as storms swelled. Most beaches were shut down due to debris and high surf as the structures became hazards. Two people were quickly rescued by lifeguards after being thrown from the pier, with one individual managing to swim safely to shore. The loss of about 150 feet (45 meters) of the wharf during the storm was echoed by Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley, who recognized the near-miss for catastrophe. “Hallelujah! No one was hurt... which could have been orders of magnitude worse,” he remarked at a media briefing.
Beyond the physical damage of the wharf, the storms mirrored broader patterns tied to climate change, with Keeley noting potential long-term damage to coastal communities facing similar challenges worldwide. The mayor highlighted the wharf, recently renovated at the cost of $4 million due to last year’s storms, continues to present hazards as some pilings remain submerged, posing risks to boats.
The storms also devastated several other regions. On Monday morning, emergency responders were alerted to Sunset State Beach, where debris trapped another man, who was later pronounced dead at the hospital. High waves similarly drew another man out to sea near Marina State Beach, leaving rescue attempts futile as conditions grew increasingly treacherous. The search for him resumed the next day, though he remains presumed dead.
Worse still, across the state, record flooding has pummeled northern California over the last three days, with some areas receiving over 12 inches of rain. La Niña, the climate pattern typically linked with California’s weather, has been sharpening the differentiation between the wetter north and drier south. Meteorologists like Chandler Price noted the storms are “both typical and unusual” for such winters and serve as reminders of California’s vulnerability.
“So far we’ve seen the wet pattern play out pretty well,” Price stated, adding concerns about the impact of tornado warnings issued earlier this month. A tornado warning was declared for San Francisco, marking the first-ever to occur for the city. Minor damages were reported as tornado-like winds toppled trees, utility poles, and cars.
The prevalence of such severe storms was shared by F. Martin Ralph, director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, whose studies indicate the increasing frequency of atmospheric rivers—massive streams of moisture-laden air—contributing to California's changing weather patterns. “When they are too strong and too many in succession, we end up with floods,” he confirmed.
Compounding the concerns for residents, southern California faced fire evacuations as the Franklin Fire prompted warnings for approximately 20,000 people, with students at Pepperdine University placed under shelter-in-place orders. Fueled by the infamous Santa Ana winds, the fire damaged and destroyed structures especially within the coastal area of Malibu, notable for its picturesque beaches.
The collision of extreme weather events this holiday season brings to light the complexity of California’s climate challenges, where heavy snow has also blanketed the Sierra Nevada mountains. Increased moisture contributes to severely high winds and torrential rains across this time of year, risk factors compounded by the community’s growing exposure to the hazards brought about by climate change.
“What’s unique about this setup is how closely spaced these storms are, and so there’s not much of a break between them,” Lawrence stated from the National Weather Service, indicating residents must prepare for another wave of atmospheric rivers expected for the week. The storms may be typical for California winters but offer unprecedented hazards as flooding, fires, and dangerous surf converge along the coasts and inland.
