After two swimmers died off the coast of Rancho Palos Verdes less than a week apart, officials warned of dangerous currents and large waves at Southern California beaches over the next few days.

The precarious waters arrived during a regional hot spell that sent throngs headed for the shoreline to cool off. The heat, which broke records in many communities, eased up a little Monday, but more triple-digit swelter is expected around Southern California this week.

Hurricane Eugene, making its way north off the coast of Mexico, sent a strong swell toward local beaches and spurred waves several feet higher than usual. And the southerly swell that swept up the coast over the weekend is just the forerunner to a larger one headed up the coast later this week, officials warned.

Two swimmers died in the past week as Eugene developed off the Mexican coast. Erick Herrera, a 29-year-old Long Beach resident, died Sunday after he was pulled from the ocean by a friend near Golden Cove. And Christopher Elton, 27, went missing while swimming near Trump National Golf Club July 3 and was found dead the next day.

Beachgoers are warned to be especially cautious this week. The southerly swell is the precursor of a swell thats going to get even bigger Tuesday through Wednesday of this week, said David Sweet, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

READ: Weather: Temperatures break records in Southern California; now, you can expect a short break

Eugene weakened Sunday and the National Hurricane Center projects it will be downgraded to a tropical storm by Tuesday, but it still makes for some choppy waters, Sweet said.

Normally, beaches like those off the Palos Verdes Peninsula would see surf heights of between one and four feet, Sweet said. Over the weekend, that jumped to between three and five feet, and it will likely increase again to between five and eight feet before the end of the week.

Combine that with record-breaking temperatures like the ones that baked the region over the weekend, and its a recipe for more people in the water when they shouldnt be, said Spencer Parker, an ocean lifeguard specialist for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

You can have hazardous conditions, but if its an ugly day, youre just not going to have that many people at the beach, he said.

After days of record-setting heat, the swelter eased up a bit Monday, with highs hitting 95 in Corona, Woodland Hills and Pasadena, 90 in Burbank and only 85 in Los Angeles. Seaside visitors enjoyed temperatures a tick below 80 in Long Beach, Torrance and Redondo Beach.

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Temperatures were expected to drop several degrees Tuesday before temperatures start climbing anew.

Just shy of 600 people were rescued on beaches around Los Angeles County during the weekend.

The area off the Palos Verdes Peninsula coast poses a particular problem, in part because the area is prone to strong currents even without the pumped-up swell from a storm to the south, Parker said.

Its a pretty dynamic part of the coast right there, with sand, rocks, gorges (and) underwater caves, so theres a lot of different currents going on there, he said.

The beaches also tend to be at the base of steep cliffs, which pose an access issue for rescuers. Many areas arent monitored by lifeguards, he said.

Parker and Sweet recommended simply staying out of the water until the swell from Hurricane Eugene has passed.

Parker recommended beachgoers who insist on getting wet use waters near an open lifeguard tower and make a point to check the forecast before hitting the waves.

And, if you do find yourself in trouble in the water, Parker advised remaining calm while shouting and waving for help.

Or, if you think you can make it back on your own, Parker said, swim parallel to the beach to get out of the current before swimming toward the beach.

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High waves, dangerous currents feared off Southern California ... - The Daily Breeze