Quick Take:
Santa Cruz County was spared major damage from overnight rains, though coastal communities remained under threat from waves as high as 40 feet Saturday morning. With tides set to peak around noon, local officials urged residents and visitors to steer clear of the coast.
Santa Cruz County was spared major damage from overnight rains, though coastal communities remained under threat from powerful waves and high tides Saturday morning.
Staff with the county’s emergency operations center toured the coast Saturday morning and said the effects of overnight storm “appear minimal” though some beaches had experienced “significant sand loss” the county wrote in a Facebook post.
But with tides set to peak around noon, local officials urged residents and visitors to steer clear of the coast because of ongoing safety hazards. On Friday, crowds of onlookers gathered along West Cliff Drive and other sections of the coast to watch massive waves roll onto shore.
Capitola Police lifted an evacuation warning for Capitola Village and the Capitola Venetian Hotel around 11 a.m. Saturday, though warnings remain in effect for Rio Del Mar in Aptos and the Pajaro Dunes in the Watsonville area.
The National Weather Service said coastal flood and high surf warning would remain in effect all along the Pacific coast until 2 p.m. Saturday because of expected ocean swells that could bring waves as high as 40 feet.
The Santa Cruz Wharf was closed again Saturday morning only hours after reopening. Sections of the wharf were damaged in Thursday’s swells. Main and Cowell beaches were also closed, along West Cliff drive between Columbia and David Way because of concerns of waves and debris being tossed onto the road. East Cliff Drive at Corcoran Lagoon was closed due to debris on the road.
PG&E reported no major outages in Santa Cruz County Saturday morning.
