San Diego’s coastline is facing another round of powerful surf, dangerous rip currents and potential beach erosion as coastal cities prepare for winter storms. The National Weather Service issued a beach hazards statement early Sunday, forecasting waves reaching 7 feet and an increased risk of drowning in dangerous rip currents. Meanwhile, cities including Del Mar and Oceanside are working to protect their beaches and neighborhoods from future flooding. Despite the hazardous conditions, surfers and swimmers continued to go into the water to take advantage of the high surf. “Because there’s a swell from the storms that we’ve had, the waves have been a little bigger. That draws me out there,” surfer John Bain said as he prepared to get into the water before sunrise, Sunday. But the powerful surf comes with risks, particularly for beachgoers unfamiliar with rip currents. “There’s a lot of people who go out and get caught. They don’t realize what it is,” surfer Leo Connell said. He was only able to watch from the shore, Sunday, because of an injury. But Connell has 30 years of surfing experience. “If you’re not aware of it, you’re going to panic. It is nice to be on a surfboard because it is a flotation device,” he said. Del Mar reinforces beaches ahead of winter storms In Del Mar, city crews recently replenished protective sand berms after Tropical Storm Rachel churned up the Pacific Ocean. The city calls the annual berm-building project a “sand push,” an effort to help protect beaches and nearby neighborhoods from coastal flooding. Although Del Mar’s beaches remained open as the remnants of Rachel moved through the region last weekend, the storm served as a test of the city’s coastal protection plans. No significant flooding was reported in Del Mar, but the city continues preparing for potentially stronger winter storms. The need for coastal protection is growing as warming ocean temperatures contribute to changing weather patterns and increasing erosion threats. The attack on the sand being taken off shore is only going to increase with this warming world. Pat Abbott, PhD, Geology Expert Geology expert Pat Abbott, PhD, who has studied California’s coastal erosion for decades, warned that the loss of beach sand could accelerate as the climate warms. “The attack on the sand, the sand being taken off shore is only going to increase with this warming world,” Abbott said. Oceanside explores solutions to coastal erosion Farther north, Oceanside is pursuing its own approach to protecting its shrinking beaches. Following storm-related flooding last Monday, the city’s plans to restore beach dunes and construct specially designed structures to retain sand have taken on greater urgency. The proposed measures are intended to help combat erosion, but Abbott cautioned that different stretches of coastline may require different solutions. “It will be very interesting to see how they progress. But, it’s not one size fits all,” Abbott said. He also mentioned the direct relationship between rising global temperatures and rising oceans. “Our warming climate is because most of that heat we put in the atmosphere gets absorbed in the oceans causing the oceans to have more energy.” Abbott said, “having more energy in the water means more storms potentially.” The National Weather Service’s beach hazards statement remains in effect until Tuesday morning. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less