Hurricane Polo is coming. Here's what it means for Southern California
Two hurricanes in the Pacific, Polo and Odalys, are expected to generate high surf and potential coastal flooding in Southern California. While the storms will not make landfall, officials are warning the public to avoid beaches due to the combination of swells and high tides.
Why it matters
Understanding the impact of distant weather systems on local coastal safety is vital for disaster preparedness and public safety.
Southern California's beaches may be in for another round of dangerous, high surf and severe erosion soon thanks to a pair of hurricanes being fueled by warm Pacific waters. The hurricanes, Polo and Odalys, are not expected to make landfall in California. But forecasters said they could stir up rough seas and send swells toward the California coast, which already has been battered by big waves this summer. The weather could start to change for the region as early as Sunday, but the hurricanes' effects are most likely to be noticeable Monday and Tuesday, said Mike Wofford, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Uncertainties abound, he said, including how big the surf may get and how severe coastal flooding may be.
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