Tsunami-related waves may occur in:
- San Francisco at 8:16 a.m.
- Santa Barbara at 8:24 a.m.
- San Pedro at 8:32 a.m.
- Santa Monica at 8:39 a.m.
- Newport Beach at 8:45 a.m.
- La Jolla at 8:48 a.m.
Currents may be hazardous to swimmers, boats, and coastal structures and may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival. Coastal residents in the watch area should prepare for possible evacuation, officials said.
Los Angeles County coastal residents are advised to stay away from currents, says Sgt. Ron Walker of Manhattan Beach Police Department.
Officials are closing the beaches, harbors and piers in Orange County and may issue a phone alert to coastal Orange County residents as a precaution to the National Weather Service's tsunami warning following the 8.9 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Sgt. Eric Peterson of the Newport Beach Police Department.
Orange County police departments, the sheriff's department and fire departments will have a conference call at 3 a.m. to determine what precautions to take next.
Hawaii is under a separate tsunami warning, with the first wave expected to arrive at 4:59 a.m. PT. (2:59 a.m. HST)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.