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California’s first huge swells of winter wreaked havoc on the coastline. Beaches and coastal roads flooded. An incoming atmospheric river storm forced evacuations. Extreme weather conditions caused several injuries, flooding, and evacuation orders at coastal cities throughout the state. Ventura County reported waves up to 12 feet. The Central Coast reported 18- to 20-foot swells. Large waves near South Seaward Avenue in Ventura County caused flooding and injury. Eight people sustained minor to moderate injuries and were taken to the hospital. Ventura County Fire Department rescued 15 people out of the ocean during high tide. A boutique hotel located on the beach, Inn On The Beach, was closed after a wave slammed into the hotel and flooded rooms with nearly 2 feet of water. No guests were injured, though some were stuck in their rooms for a short time. About 45 guests were evacuated from the hotel.
All beaches in Ventura County were closed when waves reached the streets. Evacuation orders were issued for Marin County, and residents were ordered to evacuate to Stinson Beach Community Center. Santa Cruz County issued an evacuation warning for costal areas near Seacliff State Beach due to flooding. There was a coastal flood warning for the Bay Area due to large breaking waves that caused significant flooding of beach and coastal roads. In Monterey County, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve was rendered unsafe due to high surf washing into trails.