A High Surf Warning issued Friday by the National Weather Service was in effect along the Central Coast through Saturday morning, and a High Surf Advisory extended through Sunday afternoon for areas south of Point Conception.
Storm swells out of the Gulf of Alaska were hitting northwesterly facing beaches the hardest Friday morning and afternoon. Diablo Canyon Marine Meteorologist John Lindsey said a 17 foot swell just off shore from the power plant illustrates well the size of this system.
"That's the highest swell we've seen in 2015 by far," said Lindsey. "In fact, it's one of the highest swells we've experienced over the past four years."
Farther down the coast in Ventura, the municipal pier was damaged Friday, closing it indefinitely.
Recreational areas of several beaches were swamped Friday, including the volleyball courts at Santa Barbara's East Beach and Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo County.
The parking lot at Spooner's Cove in Montaña de Oro State Park was also inundated with water earlier today.
In November, several tide measuring buoys recorded the highest water levels ever detected on the California. The buoys were located off the coast of Santa Barbara, La Jolla and San Diego.