By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-09-07 16:06:28 | Updated at 2026-09-07 17:28:12
1 hour ago
Hurricane Marie turned Southern California’s Labor Day weekend into a wild weather roller coaster, with powerful waves slamming the coast, thunderstorms forcing beach closures, heavy rain toppling a tree onto vehicles and thousands temporarily losing power.
The storm remained well offshore in the Pacific, but its far-reaching effects were felt across the region Sunday as tropical moisture moved into Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
The unusual September storm brought rain to normally dry streets while dangerous swells battered beaches from Malibu to Orange County.
In Newport Beach, one surfer had a terrifying encounter with the ocean after powerful waves swept the person across a jetty and onto jagged rocks near 56th Street, KTLA5 reported.
Video obtained by the station showed the surfer being carried by the waves over the rocky jetty as onlookers watched.
The surfer briefly managed to stand before another set of waves crashed over the rocks, prompting a lifeguard to rush toward the water.
The surfer escaped without injuries, according to Newport Beach lifeguards, who urged beachgoers to take the dangerous currents seriously.
The frightening incident came as Marie generated waves of roughly 5 to 10 feet along parts of the Southern California coast.
The National Weather Service warned that rock jetties could become particularly dangerous during the elevated surf and advised people to stay out of the water or remain close to occupied lifeguard towers.
Farther north, Malibu beaches were temporarily shut down Sunday afternoon after lightning moved into the area, according to KTLA5.
The closures came after large crowds of surfers had turned out to take advantage of the unusually powerful waves.
The National Weather Service had forecast a chance of thunderstorms across Los Angeles and Ventura counties as Marie’s moisture pushed inland.
The storm was also creating problems away from the shoreline.
In Los Feliz, a large tree came crashing down onto two vehicles near Vermont Avenue and Melbourne Avenue around 4 p.m. Sunday, ABC7 reported.
Images from the scene showed the tree sprawled across the street and covering two cars, with the hood and windshield of one vehicle badly crushed.
Police and firefighters responded, while one person was transported to a hospital in fair condition. The fallen tree and debris blocked much of Vermont Avenue as crews worked to clear the roadway.
In Glendale, meanwhile, the storm temporarily knocked out electricity for more than 4,000 customers as rain swept through the area. Two outages were recorded shortly after 5:15 p.m., with one affecting thousands of customers.
Power was gradually restored throughout the evening, leaving only a small number of customers without electricity by around 8:30 p.m., according to Glendale Power and Water website.
The rain itself was an unusual sight for Southern California in early September.
Downtown Los Angeles received more than a half-inch of rain, while much of Los Angeles County recorded between roughly 0.10 and 0.33 inches Sunday morning, with some areas exceeding half an inch, according to the National Weather Service.
Coastal flooding added to the holiday-weekend chaos, with seawater inundating parking areas near the Seal Beach Pier.
But the soggy conditions are not expected to stick around.
The National Weather Service has issued coastal flood, high surf and small craft advisories, along with a beach hazards statement, for parts of Southern California through Tuesday.
Marie is expected to weaken steadily and become a post-tropical remnant low by Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
However, its swells are expected to continue affecting Southern California for several days, meaning dangerous surf and rip currents could remain a threat even as the skies clear.
Then comes the heat.
As Marie’s moisture pulls away, Southern California is expected to rapidly transition from rain and cooler temperatures to warmer and drier conditions beginning Monday.
Temperatures are forecast to climb above normal by midweek, with inland areas likely to feel the most intense heat.
