High Surf Advisory in Effect; Ventura Pier Closed Due to Damage by Waves

A Pacific storm brought cold and unsettled weather Friday, including winds, as unusually high surf slams the coastline because of a large northwest swell, according to the National Weather Service.

Waves were expected to reach 8-to-12 feet high creating dangerous swimming conditions. The advisory was to remain in effect until Sunday afternoon.

The high surf damaged the Ventura Pier Friday morning, causing waves to break over the pier and prompting its closure, officials said.

The few citizens who were on the pier were evacuated, police said.

Four pieces of the pier were ripped from the structure. County officials said emergency assessors were deciding when they will be able to come in to stabilize the pier.

Aerial video showed waves pounding the area and flooding streets, possibly damaging homes.

People who have lived near the San Buenaventura State Beach said they've never seen such damaging conditions.

"The ground was kind of shaking and the whole house was shaking," one witness said. "It sounded like the waves were in our backyard." 

The pier was closed "indefinitely" as of 7:10 a.m. while officials worked to assess the damage. 

While rainfall amounts are expected to vary, there was the potential for brief heavy downpours and  hail with any thunderstorm, according to a National Weather Service statement.

Viewers sent in videos that showed hailstorms hitting areas all across Southern California on Friday, including West Hollywood, Reseda, Rancho Cucumonga and Hesperia.

Also expected to affect 5 Freeway near 'The Grapevine' are strong northwest-to-north winds Friday night into Saturday, gusting up to 60 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.

"Winds this strong may down trees and power lines and cause property  damage," a statement said warning that the wind could make driving difficult,  not just on the I-5 but also on Pearblossom (13) highway. "When driving, use extra caution. Be prepared for sudden gusty crosswinds."

A wind advisory will be in force until 10 p.m. in the Antelope Valley, until 8 p.m. along the coast and in metropolitan  Los Angeles, and from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday in the San Fernando  and Santa Clarita valleys.

In the San Gabriel mountains, a wind advisory will be in force until 6 p.m. Friday, followed by a more serious high wind watch through Saturday morning.

Surf of 16-22 feet with local sets to 25 feet are expected along the Central Coast, diminishing Saturday night. In Los Angeles County, serious high surf advisory will be in effect until 5 p.m. Sunday.

Another area of low pressure is expected to move in Sunday night to Monday, which will cool down temperatures for the week in the 50s and 60s.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a cold weather alert for the Antelope Valley that will last through Monday. A similar alert will take effect  Friday for Los Angeles County mountains and also remain in place until Monday, with wind-chill temperatures expected to drop below 32 degrees.

Seniors and other people in need of a place to keep warm can visit a winter shelter. A list of locations is available online through the Los Angeles  Homeless Services Authority website at http://www.lahsa.org/winter_shelter_program, or  by calling the 211 information line.

Shanna Mendiola, Gordon Tokumatsu, Toni Guinyard, Crystal Egger, Jessica Perez and City News Service contributed to this report.