Coming off a busy July of 2,740 ocean rescues, San Diego lifeguards are urging the public to stay safe as high surf and rip currents are expected to create dangerous conditions at beaches across the San Diego coast this weekend.
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The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory, coastal flood advisory and high surf advisory for San Diego County coastal areas.
July’s number of rescues rose from 1,131 rescues in June, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue and Lifeguards data. It’s also a marked increase from 1,575 rescues last July.
The most active area for rescues has been the rocky Windansea beach in La Jolla, with 666 in July. Other areas with high numbers of rescues include Mission Beach, with 532 this past month, and Pacific Beach, with 431.
All of the south-facing beaches along the San Diego coastline are at particular risk for rip currents this weekend, as Hurricane Genevieve moves west-northwest from the southern tip of Baja California. The hurricane is expected to send rip currents and 8- to 11-foot waves to San Diego beaches this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
The dangerous conditions coincide with extreme heat, which will likely entice larger crowds to visit the beach. Temperatures are expected to reach up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit on the San Diego coast Saturday.
San Diego Lifeguard Chief James Gartland said he expects that the number of rescues will be similar or less than that of recent weeks as the south swell tapers today. Although another south swell is coming and rip currents will still be active, they may not be as strong, he said.
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San Diego lifeguards made about 464 rescues last weekend. While most of those were from rip currents, Gartland said, lifeguards have also been rescuing people injured from cliff jumping at Sunset Cliffs.
In anticipation of the potentially higher demand for rescues this weekend, a spokesperson for the the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said it is staffing around 20 additional lifeguards today, Saturday and Sunday in addition to their full-capacity staff for the summer.
Beachgoers should go to areas protected by lifeguards and swim near a lifeguard tower, Gartland said. He also recommended checking in with lifeguards upon arrival to see where are the best places to swim and which spots to avoid.
“For us, the best rescue that we make is the one that doesn’t happen,” Gartland said.
Those planning to swim in the ocean this weekend are encouraged to stay close to shore. If a swimmer gets caught in a rip current, they should try to float on their back or swim parallel to the shore, not toward the shore, while signaling to lifeguards for help.
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