Rachel Weakens to Tropical Storm Far West of Baja, Sending Dangerous Surf to California Coast
If you have a beach day, shore excursion, or port stop on the coast of Southern California or northern Baja California this weekend, plan around the surf. The advisory warns of life-threatening surf and rip currents through the weekend. Check your local weather office's products for conditions at your location. Watch the next complete NHC advisory at 800 AM PDT, since no coastal watches or warnings are in effect for now.
My read is that Rachel is a surf story rather than a cruise-disruption story. The storm sits about 895 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California. Winds have dropped to 70 mph, gradual weakening is forecast, and no coastal watches or warnings are posted. The twist is that a storm this far offshore still sends life-threatening surf and rip currents to Southern California and northern Baja through the weekend. The advisory names no cruise lines, ports, or itineraries, so I would not assume any sailing is affected. Anyone with a weekend port call or beach time in that stretch should take the rip current warning seriously and follow the local weather office, because swell danger does not need a landfalling storm. I would also watch the forecast sharp turn to the northeast after about 24 hours, and I would check each new advisory rather than rely on this one.