California, 1997

High Surf in California, September 14, 1997

September 14, 1997 · NWS SGX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 high surf, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
4
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

1 high surf. Local standard time, as filed.

High Surf, Orange

When
September 14, 6:00 PM PST
Where
Orange County, Newport Beach
Injuries
4 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
33.677, -117.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Surf stirred up by Hurricane Linda, sent waves up to 18 feet high thundering into The Wedge at Newport Beach. Five people were swept off a jetty, and 300 yards out to sea, before being rescued by a passing boater. Four were injured, one critically, after nearly drowning.

What these are

High Surf
Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in California, September 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5614105.