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Looking to escape California’s gnarly heat wave with a trip to the beach? You might want to stay out of the water.
Los Angeles County health officials are warning beachgoers to avoid swimming, surfing and entering ocean waters at several popular beaches after tests found elevated bacteria levels that exceed state health standards.
The excessive bacteria can increase the risk of illness, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned.
The advisories affect portions of several beaches, including Santa Monica Beach, Paradise Cove, Redondo Beach, Venice Beach, Topanga County Beach and Manhattan Beach.
Depending on the location, the warnings cover anywhere from 100 yards of shoreline to the entire designated swimming area.
The nasty beach warnings come as a brutal heat wave settles over California, with temperatures expected to remain unusually high for days.
The National Weather Service issued heat advisories Friday stretching from Southern California through Central California and into the Bay Area, with the sweltering conditions expected to linger well into October.
Forecasters say the heat wave could last through mid-October, making it an unusually long stretch of scorching weather for the Golden State.
The stubborn heat is being fueled in part by a strong El Niño pattern and above-normal sea surface temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.
That could leave Californians desperate for a way to cool off — just as health officials are telling some beachgoers to keep their distance from the water.
Not every beach is affected.
Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach and Inner Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro have been removed from the warning list after recent samples showed bacteria levels had returned to within state health standards.
But some popular spots are still struggling.
Heal the Bay gave both Redondo Beach and the Manhattan Beach Pier area an ‘F’ grade on its Beach Report Card. Malibu Lagoon at Surfrider Beach was rated a ‘C’ as of Friday afternoon.
