Parts of the central coast are seeing up to 20 foot waves until Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, or NWS.
High Surf and Coastal Flood advisories continue in Santa Barbara County until Saturday night. Meanwhile, SLO County faces high surf and coastal flood warnings until Saturday night.
In SLO County, the Cayucos and Pismo Beach piers both closed Thursday due to high waves. Local government officials will assess if conditions are safe enough to reopen the piers on Sunday, December 31st.
NWS advises people to stay off beaches, coastal walkways, roads and structures. The agency said everyone in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties should remain out of the water due to life-threatening surf conditions.
The high surf has kept emergency crews busy with rescues this week.
Thursday, emergency crews, including a helicopter, responded to calls for a cliff rescue at Pirate’s Cove for someone trapped on the rocks just before noon, according to the Tribune. The person was treated at the scene.
Also, a lifeguard and State Parks officer swam out to a family trapped in their truck at the Oceano Dunes. The family was found near the mouth of the Arroyo Grande Creek Thursday. The family was rescued just before the truck flipped over in the high surf.
Meanwhile, Cal Fire and Santa Barbara County emergency officials assisted State Parks with evacuating campers from the Oceano Dunes. A number of RV’s were stuck in the water. Everyone had been rescued. Cal fire says five people went to the hospital.
The heavy surf also prompted California State Parks officials to close multiple parking lots along the North Coast from Montaña de Oro to San Simeon including the parking lot at Morro Rock in Morro Bay.
