Waves of 4 to 8 feet with dangerous rip currents will pound Santa Monica's south-facing beaches starting Wednesday evening, according to a National Weather Service advisory issued for Los Angeles County beaches.

The High Surf Advisory takes effect at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, and runs through 5 p.m. Saturday, August 1. A Coastal Flood Advisory covers the same stretch from 5 p.m. Wednesday through 3 a.m. Saturday, warning of seawater flooding around high tide at low-lying areas including parking lots, beaches, and walkways.

The hazard is being driven by Hurricane Genevieve, which briefly reached Category 5 strength on Tuesday, July 28, before weakening to Category 4 with sustained winds of about 155 mph. The storm is roughly 500 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California and moving northwest, away from the coast, the Los Angeles Times reported. But its energy is pushing multiple rounds of long-period southerly swells toward Southern California.

Lifeguards are bracing for a repeat of last weekend's surge in rescues. LA County lifeguards performed nearly 2,000 ocean rescues over the weekend of Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26, roughly seven to ten times the typical summer weekend average of 200 to 300, according to the LA Times. As we reported Monday, the 1,950 rescues marked one of the busiest weekends of the summer.

"We're expecting eight- to ten-foot surf from Wednesday to Sunday and it's going to be busy with significant rescue activity," Battalion Chief Derek Peters told KTLA on Tuesday. "But we're ready for it."

The NWS advisory warns that high tides of 6.2 to nearly 7.0 feet will occur in the evening hours through Friday night, peaking Wednesday and Thursday nights. When those tides coincide with the largest surf from Genevieve's swell, the risk of minor coastal flooding is highest.

The weather service advises beachgoers to stay out of the water or remain near occupied lifeguard towers. Rock jetties can be deadly in these conditions. Drivers should not go around barricades or through water of unknown depth.

The LA County lifeguard division urged caution in a social media post, noting that a Heat Advisory continues across the Southland and elevated surf is expected to persist throughout the week.

This is the third tropical system to send waves toward California in roughly three weeks. The earlier storms included Tropical Storm Elida, which triggered a high surf advisory at Santa Monica beaches on Sunday, July 19.

The Santa Monica Police Department and Santa Monica Fire Department had not responded to requests for comment as of Tuesday afternoon. Residents who see someone in distress in the water should call 911 immediately.