High Surf Expected Into Saturday

The big swell that was key in Kelly Slater's surfing win Monday in the Billabong Pro Tahiti contest should hit Southern California beaches soon.

Generated by an Antarctic storm, the swell produced "code red" conditions in Tahiti, cancelling the Association of Surfing Professional's paddle out contest [which Slater later won], giving way to "an elite group of jet-ski tow surfers, who were pulled onto the shoulders of 15- to 25-foot waves and experienced one of the most thrilling barrel-riding tow sessions ever recorded," according to PeteThomasOutdoors.com [video here]. 

Surfers in Manhattan Beach will see waves grow higher every day, going from three- to five-foot swells today to four- to seven- feet Friday, according to Surfline.

While the forecast is great news for surfers, swimmers should be extra cautious. "As with all large Southern Hemisphere swells, there will be long lulls between giant sets. Swimmers are cautioned that monstrous waves may seem to spring up suddenly, and because of this they're advised not to venture too far from shore," reads text on PeteThomasOutdoors.com.

Surfline forecasters expect the swell to build into Saturday, featuring waves in excess of 10 feet on south-facing beaches and perhaps up to 20-plus feet at the famous Wedge in Newport Beach.

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned that the swells could create a high risk for rip currents.

"The surf may cause hazards for anyone entering the water," the advisory, issued Tuesday, said, "producing rip currents and localized beach erosion."