A famous San Luis Obispo County landmark will be off-limits this weekend as powerful tides and dangerous surf are expected along the California coast.
City officials announced Friday that the Pismo Beach Pier will close at midnight Saturday and remain closed until 5 a.m. Sunday because of “dangerously large” waves.
The temporary shutdown follows high surf alerts issued by the National Weather Service, along with safety recommendations from the State Office of Emergency Services, according to city officials.
The beaches themselves will remain open for now. However, city crews will closely track tide and wave conditions throughout the weekend and could restrict access if conditions worsen.
A high surf advisory is scheduled to continue until 9 p.m. Friday. A high surf warning will remain in place until 3 a.m. Sunday, while a coastal flood warning is set to run from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
The alerts cover beaches throughout San Luis Obispo County as well as central coast beaches in Santa Barbara County. Forecasters expect breaking waves between 10 and 15 feet, along with hazardous rip currents, under the advisory. The warning calls for waves reaching 18 to 25 feet.
The threat may continue beyond the weekend. Several west-northwesterly swells are forecast to move through the region next week, raising the risk of serious flooding in low-lying coastal communities.
A visitor at the pier Friday said workers appeared to be putting up chain-link fencing near the end of the popular attraction.
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One visitor recalled a time when the pier was rarely closed, even as waves crashed across it decades ago. “I remember back in the day, like 50 or 60 years ago. They never shut the pier down. The waves would crash over it. It was so exciting,” the person wrote in a comment on the city’s Facebook post. “Nowadays, they have to make sure everyone is safe.”
Other San Luis Obispo County attractions, including the Cayucos Pier, the entrance to Morro Bay Harbor and Oceano Dunes, could also be affected by the unusually high tides.
California State Parks said Thursday that beach camping reservations at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area would be canceled through Monday because of the expected coastal conditions.
The Pismo Beach Pier closure coincides with a busy tourism weekend. Pismo Beach is scheduled to host its annual Marching Band Review, drawing middle and high school bands from across the Central Coast.
