Massive waves pound the coast, with even bigger waves expected on Tuesday.

The power of the ocean was on full display Monday, Dec. 23, as a major swell brought big waves to Monterey Bay. The spectacle of waves crashing, especially mid-afternoon at high tide, brought locals and tourists alike to the shoreline to take in the scenery—and the full sensory experience, with sea mist in the air and the sound of crashing waves audible for miles away from the coast. 

Wave watching is fun, but officials warn that it can also be dangerous. The National Weather Service issued a high surf warning for the area on Monday, through 6pm Tuesday, Dec. 24, for all beaches and coastline in Monterey County. A small craft advisory is in effect for Monterey Bay until 9pm Tuesday, Dec. 24. 

"There is a lot of water moving out there, and we are just beginning to see the impacts," according to an update from the National Weather Service at 2pm on Monday. "All coastal buoys are seeing significantly higher wave heights than the models were indicating for this event, with the surf continuing to build at this time."

A man was swept out to sea by big waves at Marina State Beach around noon on Monday, according to the Marina Police Department. Bystanders attempted to rescue him, but were unable to do so due to difficult ocean conditions. Emergency responders arrived and officials from the U.S. Coast Guard and California Highway Patrol air unit assisted with a search, but they were unable to locate the man. They called off the search (both land and sea) at about 2pm, "as worsening conditions were deemed too dangerous to continue," according to MPD. 

Part of the wharf in Santa Cruz collapsed and fell into the ocean on Monday due to powerful surf; two people were rescued and one swam to safety, according to news reports. (At 4:15pm on Monday, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation orders for the beachfront areas of Rio Del Mar, Beach Drive and Las Olas.)

Point Sur reported a wave height of 25.89 feet on Monday. Weather Service officials now expect some spots could experience breaking waves of up to 60 feet.

The big waves are the biggest weather event associated with a series of storms. Coastal areas of Monterey County are forecast to get 1 to 3 inches of rain by Sunday, Dec. 29, and the Salinas Valley is expected to receive 1 inch. (Amid the unsettled weather, Christmas Day is forecast to be dry.)

"Life-threatening swimming and surfing conditions and significant shoreline erosion can be expected," according to the advisory. "Large waves can sweep across the beach without warning, pulling people into the sea from rocks, jetties and beaches."