Rain pounded down hard throughout the day along the coast of Orange County on Friday. In Placentia, fire officials say a 43-year-old homeless man sleeping in a channel was swept away during the downpour. A swift water rescue team searched for two hours, unaware that the man had pulled himself out on his own. He was cold and tired, but is expected to be OK.
A dangerous combination of high surf, high tides, strong on-shore winds plus the rainfall runoff results in a threat of coastal flooding throughout the weekend.
A coastal flood warning is in effect through Saturday night for the Orange County coastal areas. Flooding is more likely to occur during high-tide times. For Friday, that's between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.
High surf between 8 to 10 feet with sets up to 16 feet are expected for Saturday as a south-southwest swell starts to build. Extra lifeguards will be put in place through the weekend across the coast, and inexperienced swimmers are encouraged to stay out of the water.
Also, isolated thunderstorms may hit the area through the weekend, and that could bring some waterspouts to the area. Waterspouts can make it to land, so you're advised to seek shelter immediately if you see one.
Coastal residents have been setting up sandbags to protect their beachfront properties. Sandbags are available at the Seal Beach Lifeguard Headquarters. Sand berms have also been set up to act as additional barriers to protect homes.
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