Powerful swells stemming from an extended stretch of stormy seas crashed along the California coastline on Thursday, catching sightseers off guard.
Breaking waves up to 20 feet high overwhelmed seawalls injured several people, forced rescues, and sent surges of water rushing through coastal streets, according to reports.
Meteorologists say conditions aligned perfectly to produce the monstrous surf and forecast more rounds of intense, potentially life-threatening waves and rip currents to pound the shoreline into the weekend.
Most days on the beach pass without incident, but occasionally, approaching storms or churning seas can transform the coast into a danger zone.
In Thursday’s case, winds blowing steadily for an extended distance over the ocean, known as fetch, enabled long-period swells to develop from multiple distant storms and collect into walls of water.