California
Massive, dangerous waves are hitting California. Here’s why
The first huge swell of the winter has arrived in California, and with it comes dangerous surf set to rival some of the biggest waves this year.
Waves up to 40 feet are possible Thursday and high surf warnings and advisories are in effect up and down the California coast. It’s the first high surf warning issued by the Bay Area National Weather Service office since January, when big waves caused serious damage along Santa Cruz’s iconic West Cliff Drive that’s still being repaired.
Huge low-pressure systems in the Pacific Ocean are pushing large groups of waves toward the California coast.
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Three factors determine wave height: wind speed, fetch and time. Fetch is the area over the ocean where winds blow and generate waves, according to the weather service. How much time a weather-making system sits over the Pacific is also crucial, as the longer a storm gathers energy, the bigger the waves it can send to the California coast.
This week, multiple storms have churned over the Pacific Ocean for several days, with broad swaths of hurricane-force winds creating a huge swell. On Wednesday, a 42-foot wave was observed more than 1,000 miles off the California coast.
“As those (swells) come to the coast and they break, that’s when you get those large waves at the coastlines and at the beaches,” said weather service meteorologist Alexis Clouser.
While the California coastline is frequently gusty in the summertime, winds typically only ramp up during the afternoon and evening on a local scale, not a long enough time or large enough area to generate the massive waves of winter storms.
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December typically delivers large surf to the California coast. However, Thursday’s waves are expected to be particularly large, prompting the weather warnings. Along the Bay Area coastline, breaking waves are expected to be 28 to 33 feet, and up to 40 feet in places like Maverick’s and 17-Mile Drive.
Waves of 15 to 20 feet are forecast at Point Conception and up to 15 feet in San Diego.
“We really want to hammer home that beaches will be very dangerous,” said weather service meteorologist Nicole Sarment. “People should really not even go.”
The large waves will add up to a foot of storm surge to the coast on top of the annual high tides around the winter solstice. Due to these factors, minor coastal flooding is possible Thursday.
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The Bay Area weather service office issues typically only one or two high surf warnings per year. Last winter, a series of storms prompted the office to issue three separate warnings between Jan. 4 and 13.
While the current high surf warning is set to expire Friday morning, large waves will continue through Saturday.
“Just because the warning ends, that does not necessarily mean it’s safe to go into the water,” Clouser said. “We will continue to see these larger waves throughout the next few days.”
California
Summer Barbecue Festival Season Has Arrived in Southern California
Summer is just around the corner, as is the season to place marinated meats over a fiery grill. Thankfully, two Southern California festivals are taking place to celebrate Los Angeles and Riverside County’s diverse barbecue scenes, starting with the Long Beach Barbecue Festival on May 25 and the Brew n’ Que Festival from May 31 through June 1 in Riverside County.
Axiom Kitchen will set up at the tail end of Shoreline Aquatic Park from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. to host its second annual event showcasing 25 pitmasters including Big Brian’s Meats, the 38-year-old operator Robert Earl’s BBQ, and the Mexican-Cuban specialist El Guero y La Flaca. In addition to 40 retail vendors, the festival will also feature whiskey tastings, a beer garden, a full bar, and an amateur chili cook-off contest. VIP tickets are still available.
Out in Norco, the Brew n’ Que Festival kicks off with panel chats from the CEO of the Kansas City Barbecue Society, Slap Yo Daddy sauce creator Harry Soo, and Black Smoke author Adrian Miller on day one. On June 1, attendees can try barbecue from local operators, North Carolina’s Bourbon & Blues Barbecue, and Good Googly Goo BBQ from Maryland. They’ve even secured live entertainment. Tickets to the festival range from $20 to $125.
Carmel Coffee craze is an understatement
Time Out LA waited in Carmel Coffee’s hour-plus line to try Silver Lake’s, or, rather, all of Los Angeles’s buzziest cafe, which opened in May. Those brave enough to stand in line were rewarded with drinks like milk teas, matcha lattes, and its popular multi-grain misugaru.
Another group of SoCal Starbucks workers join the union
Starbucks employees in Santa Clarita voted to join the worker union on May 17. The store at Newhall and Carl Court is the 35th California Starbucks location to join Starbucks Workers United. Over the last three years, Starbucks workers have organized extensively throughout the country amid allegations of anti-union actions from the coffee giant. In Southern California, the chain shuttered six Los Angeles stores in 2022, citing issues related to worker safety. The National Labor Relations Board subsequently filed a complaint against Starbucks, taking action to order the company to reopen multiple LA stores in 2023.
Grand Central Market in 1963
This time capsule of Grand Central Market from Forgotten Madness LA’s Instagram account is a healthy dose of nostalgia for Los Angeles residents and beyond.
New hours and offerings at Xuntos
Santa Monica’s Xuntos is open on Mondays and just launched a happy hour with Pintxos by chef Sandra Cordero. It also has a new bar program where gin and tonics, brandies, and Spanish natural wines are available, including Galician after-dinner drinks called chupitos.
Pescatarians, Burgers 99 wants you
DJ collective All Summa partnered with Badmaash’s Burgers 99 to create their first fish burger called the Ricks. It’s $13 with a wild-caught salmon patty, avocado spread, capers, cheddar, lettuce, and tomatoes on a toasted bun.
California
Uber, Lyft-Backed California Labor Law Faces Final Court Test
California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo speaks on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall on Oct. 22, 2020 where elected leaders held a conference urging voters to reject Proposition 22 in the then-upcoming election.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
California
California Strawberry Festival raises money for schools and scholarships
VENTURA, Calif.-The California Strawberry Festival wrapped up a weekend of mouth-watering fun and fundraising at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura.
The 38th festival serves as fundraiser for school groups and non profits.
Buena High School Music Association raised money by making and selling funnel cakes.
Other school booster clubs sold coffee and snacks.
The event also raises thousands of dollars for the Dr. Kato Memorial Scholarship Fund that is named after the late festival founder and former mayor of Oxnard.
The money has helped the children of farm workers attend college.
Some of Kato’s relatives came from Long Beach to enjoy the festival.
“It is a dream come true for him, “said his sister Loraine Kato Lieppman, ” This is what he started over 30 years ago, I am just happy to see it his son Dean Kato is in charge of this, and we are just pleased to be able to share it with them.”
Festival goers also enjoyed chocolate covered strawberries , kabobs and funnel cakes.
Adults enjoyed strawberry margaritas and strawberry beer.
Growers were also on hand selling the area’s number one cash crop by the tray and basket.
“This is a huge strawberry, you can eat it with sour cream, with sugar, dip it in chocolate, with a smoothie ,you can do the best smoothies with the big strawberries,” said Magaly Hernandez of Faria Farms.
Grower Glen Hasegawa of Faria Farms in Oxnard said cross breeding makes them large and sweet.
He said they are not genetically modified.
“Now they are kind of at their peak flavor,so, it is a good time great time to eat ’em.” said Hasegawa.
He prefers to eat them right out of the tray.
Festivalgoers also enjoyed rides, Steve’s Fun Balloons and the work of caricature artists.
Shoppers also had a chance to buy strawberry inspired arts and crafts.
The festival that began in Kato’s backyard moved to the Channel Islands Harbor in the 1980s and then to Strawberry Meadows at Oxnard College.
Last year, it moved to the fairgrounds.
Organizers did their best to cut down on traffic jams by offering free shuttles.
For more information about the annual festival visit https://www.catrawberryfestival.org
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