Forecasts indicate that Southern California’s coastline will face hazardous conditions this week due to high surf, coastal erosion, and potential flooding, driven by two tropical systems influencing Pacific waters. Hurricane Polo and Tropical Storm Odalys are expected to generate significant swells impacting the region through midweek.

The National Weather Service projects that the most substantial surf will affect the area Monday and Tuesday. Wave heights are anticipated to reach between 4 and 7 feet along beaches in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with 3 to 5 feet expected south of Santa Barbara. Newport Beach’s Wedge could see waves as high as 7 feet. These swells are expected to coincide with astronomical high tides occurring in late morning on both days, which are forecast to rise around 7 feet—approximately one foot above normal—largely due to the ongoing strong El Niño phenomenon that has elevated sea surface temperatures and sea levels.

Although these swells are slightly less intense than those generated earlier this month by Hurricane Marie, certain south-facing beaches, including those in Long Beach, Malibu, and Avalon Bay on Catalina Island, remain particularly vulnerable due to prior erosion. The weather service warned of possible localized damage to coastal infrastructure and shallow seawater flooding on low-lying beach pathways, parking areas, and roads.

Bob Oravec, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service, noted that the Pacific has experienced an unusually active hurricane season consistent with El Niño patterns, which tend to enhance tropical storm and hurricane activity in the region. Polo was expected to make landfall in Mexico on Monday after moving across Baja California, with potential heavy rain and flooding effects projected to reach the U.S. Southwest later in the week.

The storm’s persistence as a strong hurricane late into its trajectory near Baja California is considered unusual but is being sustained by warm ocean temperatures that help maintain its structure. In response, the Mexican navy announced the deployment of personnel and humanitarian aid to the Pacific ports of Guaymas and Mazatlan, including three vessels prepared to assist coastal communities isolated by the storm.

In the meantime, Hurricane Nolo is moving away from Hawaii following a weekend of strong winds and heavy rains on the Big Island. Additionally, Tropical Storm Rachel has recently formed off Mexico’s southwestern coast and may contribute to further south swell along Southern California’s shore by early next week, with probable impacts starting after Sunday.

Apart from marine concerns, forecast models predict a warming trend in the Los Angeles region, with temperatures rising by 3 to 8 degrees Tuesday. Coastal and valley areas are likely to reach the 80s, while interior valleys may approach the lower 90s. Temperatures in mountainous and far inland areas could increase by an additional 3 to 6 degrees Wednesday, and there is a 40 percent chance of triple-digit heat in the warmest valleys by Friday or Saturday, which may prompt heat advisories.

Forecasters also expect a widespread offshore wind event Tuesday, strongest along the Interstate 5 corridor and extending several miles around the Ventura-Los Angeles county line. These winds are predicted to reduce humidity in interior valleys and mountains initially, though moisture levels will rebound by Thursday to between 40 and 60 percent, a range considered relatively muggy by regional standards, according to Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard.