Here is how Hurricane Marie could affect Labor Day weekend in Southern California:
Impacts
Forecasters expect a 6- to 8-foot south swell, bringing strong surf and rip currents to beaches and a chance of rain, thunderstorms and a return to muggy weather as thousands of people flock to the coast to celebrate the long weekend.
Timing
The National Weather Service said higher tides would begin Saturday but peak Monday and Tuesday, with tides topping 7 feet.
Humidity
The storm is expected to bring back that muggy weather California experienced late last month, with humidity levels ranging from 35% to 50% over the weekend and temperatures in the mid-80s along the coast.
Rain
There’s also a chance of light rain, measuring up to a quarter of an inch, arriving by Sunday across the region, and a 5% to 10% chance of thunderstorms, according to the weather service.
Flooding risk
The south swell is also coinciding with a period of evening high tides, which could result in an “increasing chance of moderate coastal flooding” in low-lying areas including Avalon, the Alamitos Peninsula in Long Beach, Malibu and Point Mugu, according to the weather service.
Guidance
Officials say Hurricane Marie will never get close to the California coast. The closest the storm’s core will get to Los Angeles is 800 miles away. So the storm does not necessarily mean people will have to change weekend plans.
“Temperatures will not be overly warm, but it’s a holiday weekend and a warm time of year, so we’re expecting a lot of people are planning beach trips and family events. We’d encourage people, if you are planning a beach trip, to swim where there’s a lifeguard and be aware of rip currents,” said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
“If you’re planning an outdoor event and your tolerance for rain is very low,” she added, “we’d encourage people to look into alternate plans.”
