Expect hot temperatures and big waves this weekend

It may be autumn, but scorching temperatures Friday had much of Orange County opting for shorts and sandals instead of cozy sweaters. And according to the National Weather Service, it’s going to stay hot throughout the weekend.

Temperatures in Huntington, Laguna and Newport beaches ranged from the mid-80s to the mid-90s Friday afternoon. Further inland, in Costa Mesa and Irvine, mercury rose to 99 degrees.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory until 8 p.m. Friday, warning coastal residents that they also would likely see temperatures in the low 90s on Saturday with slight cooling down to the low 80s by Sunday.

For those heading to the beach in an attempt to beat the heat, elevated surf and strong rip currents stemming from a southwest swell, which hit the coast Friday and is expected to last through the weekend, will be waiting, the agency warns.

Waves at The Wedge are expected to reach 9 feet by Saturday morning. Huntington State Beach is expected to see waves of up to 6 feet Saturday, eventually dropping to 4 or 5 feet by Sunday.

By Friday afternoon surf in Newport ranged from 4 to 6 feet along the beach with a water temperature around 72 degrees.

Larger-than-usual crowds were present in Newport throughout the day, with lifeguards tallying 27 rescues by late afternoon, said Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Brent Jacobsen.

“It’s a good number for October,” he said of the rescues. “On a summer day it would be nothing, but for a fall weekday, it’s quite a bit.”

But the busy weekend is just beginning. In response to large crowds, the department will have between 12 and 15 lifeguard towers staffed, 10 lifeguards on patrol along the sand and a rescue boat present Saturday, Jacobsen said.

Officials suggest that beachgoers check conditions with lifeguards before entering the water and always swim near a guard.