Alert archive / California / Beach Hazards Statements in 2020
Beach Hazards Statement 14, NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA
NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA issued this beach hazards statement at Dec 8, 2020, 8:16 PM PST for Santa Cruz County, California. It took effect at Dec 8, 2020, 9:00 PM PST. It was in force for 18 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Dec 8, 2020, 8:16 PM PST (04:16 UTC)
- In effect from
- Dec 8, 2020, 9:00 PM PST
- Expired
- Dec 9, 2020, 3:00 PM PST
- In force
- 18 hr
- Issued by
- NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA
County Santa Cruz County, CA
The radar
The San Francisco radar (KMUX), 18 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:19 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The nearest sounding before it
Oakland, CA (KOAK), launched 00:00Z, 4.3 hours before the alert went out and 80 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 3872 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 26 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 10 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 17 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
839 WHUS46 KMTR 090416 CFWMTR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service San Francisco CA 816 PM PST Tue Dec 8 2020 ...LARGE LONG PERIOD NORTHWEST SWELL CONTINUES TO BRING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST INTO TOMORROW... We are stepping down our High Surf Warning to a High Surf Advisory along the coastline from Sonoma to Monterey Counties. North Monterey Bay, essentially Santa Cruz County is being stepped back from a high surf advisory to a beach hazard statement. Large long period swell continues to show at area buoys. From Point Reyes buoy reading 17 feet @ 17 seconds to Point Sur buoy reading 14 feet @ 18 seconds, as of 730 PM. This makes for continued large breaking waves along the coast through the night. While heights will drop through the night, open ocean swell is outperforming the wave models. Therefore we saw the need to extend some kind of notice that the ocean will remain violently fierce into Wednesday. In addition, the periods are remaining up, which means lots of water moving and extreme currents will continue, especially near jetties, points, and headlands. These currents can take a person a hundreds of yards in a very short time. Beyond the dangers of thundering surf and extreme current, the waters remain bone chilling cold with buoys reporting 52-55 degree temperatures. Cold water shock followed by cold water paralysis leads to drownings. All this to say, breaking waves at the most exposed beaches will continue to be in the 15-20 foot range with sets potentially reaching to 25 feet. Beaches facing west and west-northwest will be the most impacted. Stay off rocks and jetties, exposed piers and low lying exposed peninsulas. If you are taken into the water without warning and unprepared, survival is unlikely. Cold water drownings occur each year with these types of events and are completely avoidable by remaining a safe distance from the coastline. Sheltered areas, such as Capitola, will remain dangerous due to currents and cold water, even though the wave heights will be lower than that of the exposed coast. Do your part. Keep our first responders safe by remaining safe yourself. CAZ006-505-509-530-091230- /O.EXB.KMTR.SU.Y.0006.201209T0500Z-201209T2300Z/ /O.CON.KMTR.SU.W.0001.000000T0000Z-201209T0500Z/ San Francisco- Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore- San Francisco Peninsula Coast- Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast- 816 PM PST Tue Dec 8 2020 ...HIGH SURF WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST THIS EVENING... ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM PST WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Large breaking waves of up to 20 feet, increased wave runup, and strong rip current. * WHERE...San Francisco, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore, San Francisco Peninsula Coast and Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast Counties. * WHEN...For the High Surf Warning, until 9 PM PST this evening. For the High Surf Advisory, from 9 PM PST this evening until 3 PM PST Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Large breaking waves can sweep people off jetties and docks, and into dangerous seas. Life threatening swimming conditions can be expected. Cold water rescues or drownings are more likely with these waves and stronger rip currents. * ADDITIONAL INFO...Stay out of the water until conditions become much less dangerous. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Everyone should remain out of the water due to life-threatening surf conditions. Stay off of jetties, piers, and other waterside infrastructure. && $$ CAZ529-091230- /O.NEW.KMTR.BH.S.0014.201209T0500Z-201209T2300Z/ /O.CON.KMTR.SU.Y.0006.000000T0000Z-201209T0500Z/ Northern Monterey Bay- 816 PM PST Tue Dec 8 2020 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PST THIS EVENING... ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Large breaking waves of 10-15 feet, increased wave runup, and strong rip current. * WHERE...Northern Monterey Bay. Santa Cruz County. * WHEN...For the High Surf Advisory, until 9 PM PST this evening. For the Beach Hazards Statement, 9 PM PST this evening through Wednesday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and localized beach erosion. Large breaking waves can sweep people off jetties and docks, and into dangerous seas. Cold water rescues or drownings are more likely with these waves and stronger rip currents. * ADDITIONAL INFO...Stay out of the water until conditions become much less dangerous. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions. Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions. && $$
2 follow-up statements
852 WHUS46 KMTR 091155 CFWMTR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service San Francisco CA 355 AM PST Wed Dec 9 2020 ...MODERATE TO LONG PERIOD NORTHWEST SWELL CONTINUES TO BRING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST TODAY... Moderate to long period northwest swell continues to show at area buoys. From Point Reyes buoy reading 13 feet @ 16 seconds to Point Sur buoy reading 15 feet @ 15 seconds, as of 300 AM. Expect continued large breaking waves along the coast today. While heights lower overnight, open ocean swell is outperforming the wave models. In addition, the periods are remaining up, which means lots of water moving and extreme currents will continue, especially near jetties, points, and headlands. These currents can take a person a hundreds of yards in a very short time. Beyond the dangers of thundering surf and extreme current, the waters remain bone chilling cold with buoys reporting 52-55 degree temperatures. Cold water shock followed by cold water paralysis leads to drownings. All this to say, breaking waves at the most exposed beaches will continue to be in the 15-20 foot range with sets potentially reaching to 25 feet. Beaches facing west and west-northwest will be the most impacted. Stay off rocks and jetties, exposed piers and low lying exposed peninsulas. If you are taken into the water without warning and unprepared, survival is unlikely. Cold water drownings occur each year with these types of events and are completely avoidable by remaining a safe distance from the coastline. Sheltered areas, such as Capitola, will remain dangerous due to currents and cold water, even though the wave heights will be lower than that of the exposed coast. Do your part. Keep our first responders safe by remaining safe yourself. CAZ006-505-509-530-092300- /O.CON.KMTR.SU.Y.0006.000000T0000Z-201209T2300Z/ San Francisco- Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore- San Francisco Peninsula Coast- Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast- 355 AM PST Wed Dec 9 2020 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Large breaking waves of up to 20 feet, increased wave runup, and strong rip current. * WHERE...San Francisco, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore, San Francisco Peninsula Coast and Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast Counties. * WHEN...High Surf Advisory until 3 PM PST today. * IMPACTS...Large breaking waves can sweep people off jetties and docks, and into dangerous seas. Life threatening swimming conditions can be expected. Cold water rescues or drownings are more likely with these waves and stronger rip currents. * ADDITIONAL INFO...Stay out of the water until conditions become much less dangerous. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Everyone should remain out of the water due to life-threatening surf conditions. Stay off of jetties, piers, and other waterside infrastructure. && $$ CAZ529-092300- /O.CON.KMTR.BH.S.0014.000000T0000Z-201209T2300Z/ Northern Monterey Bay- 355 AM PST Wed Dec 9 2020 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON... * WHAT...Large breaking waves of 10-15 feet, increased wave runup, and strong rip current. * WHERE...Northern Monterey Bay. Santa Cruz County. * WHEN...Beach Hazards Statement until 3 PM PST today. * IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and localized beach erosion. Large breaking waves can sweep people off jetties and docks, and into dangerous seas. Cold water rescues or drownings are more likely with these waves and stronger rip currents. * ADDITIONAL INFO...Stay out of the water until conditions become much less dangerous. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions. Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions. && $$
153 WHUS46 KMTR 092238 CFWMTR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service San Francisco CA 238 PM PST Wed Dec 9 2020 CAZ006-505-509-530-092345- /O.EXP.KMTR.SU.Y.0006.000000T0000Z-201209T2300Z/ San Francisco- Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore- San Francisco Peninsula Coast- Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast- 238 PM PST Wed Dec 9 2020 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON... As of 2 pm buoys are still reporting seas from 8 to 13 feet at around 14 seconds. However sea heights are forecast to slowly decrease overnight into Thursday. Even though the high surf advisory will be allowed to expire all visitors to area beaches should continue to use extra caution as these high energy waves continue to impact the coastline. $$ CAZ529-092345- /O.EXP.KMTR.BH.S.0014.000000T0000Z-201209T2300Z/ Northern Monterey Bay- 238 PM PST Wed Dec 9 2020 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT WILL EXPIRE AT 3 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON... As of 2 pm buoys are still reporting seas from 8 to 13 feet at around 14 seconds. However sea heights are forecast to slowly decrease overnight into Thursday. Even though the beach hazard statement will be allowed to expire all visitors to area beaches should continue to use extra caution as these high energy waves continue to impact the coastline. $$
The office that day
Everything else NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 9, 2:11 AM PST | Small Craft Advisory | MTR | 55 hr |
Nearby
Beach Hazards Statements in California, 2020Every beach hazards statement in 2020
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.