New storm renews wave warnings after Pismo Beach tourist death, Ventura injuries

As a new storm moves into Southern California this weekend, forecasters are warning that powerful waves that recently injured several people in Ventura and killed one person in Pismo Beach will continue to pound the coast.

A high surf advisory will go into effect starting at 2 a.m. on Saturday for Ventura County, which is expected to see 7- to 10-foot-high waves over the weekend, and the Central Coast, which will likely see 12- to 20-foot-high waves, according to the National Weather Service.

There’s a slightly lower chance for high surf in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties Sunday into Monday morning.

Dangerous surf conditions have already taken a toll along California’s coast.

Brindha Shunmuganathan, 39, of Georgia, was visiting California on Dec. 30 with her family when she and her two children were knocked down by a large wave, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Tony Cipolla said. Emergency officials received a 911 call about the incident shortly after 9 a.m.

Family members were able to pull the two children out of the water, but Shunmuganathan was repeatedly battered by the waves, authorities said. Bystanders were eventually able to pull her from the water and perform CPR on her but were unable to resuscitate her and she died at the scene. The official cause of death has not been disclosed.

The National Weather Service had warned about extremely dangerous beach conditions for the Central Coast at the time, with the forecast calling for 15- to 20-foot waves, with some 25-foot sets. Officials warned the public to stay away from the water because of dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents.

On Dec. 28, eight people in Ventura were injured when they were struck by a massive rogue wave that swept over a sea wall and flooded area streets. When the spectators saw the wave coming, they began running, while the drivers of two trucks also tried to flee, but the water swept up several people and one of the vehicles.

Several people were taken to the hospital and treated for moderate injuries, authorities said.

Further south, the Ocean Beach Pier in San Diego suffered storm damage from high surf in the last weeks of December. Video footage shared on social media showed large waves chipping away portions of the 57-year-old pier. A San Diego spokesperson told public media station KPBS there are plans for a public meeting to replace the damaged pier, which has been closed since October because of the high surf conditions.

Over the past five years, the city of San Diego has spent roughly $1.7 million to repair the pier and it has been closed about 30% of the time because of damage, the city said in a news release.

In San Mateo County, the Pacifica Pier will also be closed through the end of the month because of storm damage. A structural analysis will be conducted on the 50-year-old pier in the coming days and should reopen by Jan. 26, the Pacifica Department of Public Works said in a news release.

In addition to high surf conditions, the new storm slated to arrive in Southern California late Friday evening or early Saturday morning will bring lower temperatures, cloudy skies and some rain. Temperatures on Saturday will range from highs in the mid-60s during the day to low to mid-40s overnight, with a 20% chance of rain.

Temperatures could possibly reach freezing conditions on Friday night and Saturday morning in the Ojai Valley in Ventura County and Agoura Hills and Calabasas in Los Angeles County and some portions of the Inland Empire. In addition, a wind advisory will be in effect in and around Los Angeles County, beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday and continuing until 7 p.m. Sunday, according to the weather service.

“It will be cold and windy for the most part,” meteorologist David Gomberg, of the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said of the weekend forecast.