Baja hurricane expected to generate high waves

A hurricane that blew by Baja California is expected to generate 6-to 8-foot waves and dangerous rip currents along San Diego and Orange county beaches Sunday morning through Monday night, the National Weather Service warned Saturday.

The NWS issued a high surf advisory north from the Mexican border, especially for south-facing beaches. Beaches that may see heavy waves include Coronado, Oceanside, and San Onofre in San Diego County, and Huntington Beach and Seal Beach in Orange County.

Heavy waves will strike the Wedge, the infamous body surfing break at Newport.

The distant winds are expected to generate waves of 6 to 8 feet along south-facing beaches, and a few waves might reach 10 to 12 feet along jetties such as those along Point Loma and Newport Beach, Maxwell said. Breaking waves also are expected across harbor and bay entrances.

Hurricane Celia, with winds of more than 130 mph, was headed northwest over the Pacific Ocean, about 1,200 miles from the southern tip of Baja California today, said NWS meteorologist Brandt Maxwell.

Maxwell said he did not expect any serious amount of coastal flooding from the high surf, given moderate celestial high tides that are forecast.