Malibu warns beachgoers of severe erosion hazards at Point Dume

By The Malibu Times · Mon Sep 21 2026

Exposed pilings, concrete and steel create hazards along eroded shoreline as National Weather Service forecasts high rip-current risk and 3- to 5-foot surf Tuesday

The City of Malibu is warning beachgoers to use caution at Point Dume State Beach as severe coastal erosion has exposed pilings, concrete and steel in the sand and water and created steep sand cliffs along portions of the shoreline. The warning comes as the National Weather Service forecasts another increase in ocean hazards Tuesday, when the Malibu Coast is expected to experience high rip-current risk and 3- to 5-foot surf. According to the City, hazardous conditions begin around the end of Westward Beach Road and continue into the Point Dume State Beach area. Ongoing erosion has left little or no sandy area available for walking in some locations except during low tide. The City clarified that the beach itself is not closed. The road leading into the Point Dume State Beach parking lot remains open to pedestrians and cyclists when crews are not working.

Beachgoers are being urged to stay clear of exposed structures and debris, follow all posted closures and check with lifeguards before entering the water. The warning marks the latest concern along a Malibu coastline that has experienced significant erosion in recent weeks, including the collapse of a portion of Sea Level Drive, damage around Westward Beach and continuing erosion along Pacific Coast Highway in the Palisades Fire burn area.

Rip-current risk increasing Tuesday

The National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard office issued its latest Surf Zone Forecast at 1:40 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21, placing the Malibu Coast under an overall high rip-current risk because conditions are expected to deteriorate Tuesday.

For Monday, NWS forecasts a moderate rip-current risk with 2- to 4-foot surf and water temperatures between 70 and 72 degrees.

Conditions are expected to increase Tuesday, with the rip-current risk rising to high and surf building to 3 to 5 feet. NWS defines a high risk as conditions in which life-threatening rip currents are likely.

Tuesday's swell is expected to be a mixture of north and south swell. No thunderstorms are currently forecast.

The evening high tide is also expected to increase from approximately 5 feet at 7:41 p.m. Monday to 5.3 feet at 8:21 p.m. Tuesday.

The combination of larger surf, stronger rip currents and already severely eroded beaches could create additional hazards in areas such as Point Dume, where portions of the shoreline have been stripped of sand.

Erosion exposes structures and debris

The City's latest warning specifically calls attention to exposed pilings, concrete and steel both in the sand and in the water, creating hazards that may not be readily visible to swimmers or people walking along the shoreline.

Steep sand cliffs have also formed as waves have cut into the beach.

Officials are asking beachgoers to be especially cautious around those areas and to avoid exposed structures and debris.

The conditions are the latest consequence of weeks of unusually active surf and high tides along the Malibu coastline.

Earlier erosion forced the closure of Westward Beach Road beyond the pay gate and the Point Dume Beach parking lot. The City's Alert Center continues to list that erosion-related closure.

Coastline already under pressure

The Point Dume warning comes less than two weeks after coastal erosion caused a major collapse along Sea Level Drive on Sept. 8.

Thirty-one properties remain subject to mandatory evacuation orders and red-tag designations because damage to the private roadway has eliminated safe emergency access to the neighborhood.

At the Sept. 14 Malibu City Council meeting, Community Development Director and Building Official Yolanda Bundy said approximately 60 percent of the roadway near 31630 Sea Level Drive had been lost.

City officials have also been monitoring erosion along PCH in the Palisades Fire burn area, where the loss of beachfront homes and seawalls during the January 2025 fire left portions of the coastline more exposed to wave action.

Those concerns are taking on additional importance as Malibu prepares for the coming fall and winter storm season.

For now, officials are asking residents and visitors not to assume calmer-looking ocean conditions mean the shoreline is safe.

At Point Dume in particular, beachgoers should watch for steep drop-offs, exposed pilings, concrete, steel and other debris; avoid closed areas; check tide conditions before walking along heavily eroded sections of beach; and speak with lifeguards about conditions before entering the water.