Lightning prompts closure of Santa Monica beach as thunderstorms develop offshore

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) — Lightning prompted the closure of Santa Monica beach on Saturday afternoon as thunderstorms developed offshore, officials said.

The Santa Monica Police Department announced the beach shutdown shortly before 1 p.m.

“Lightning has been detected near the coast,” the agency said on Twitter. “Please seek shelter until the storm has passed if you are on the pier / beach or in the ocean.”

Los Angeles County lifeguards were closing the beach “until further notice,” police said.

Lightning was also detected over the Orange County coastal waters, according to the National Weather Service.

“Steady precipitation has largely tapered off away from the mountains,” National Weather Service tweeted just after 1 p.m., “but now we turn our attention to some developing thunderstorms offshore!”

DEVELOPING: More details will be added to this report as they become available.