Hazardous Seas Warning 37, NWS Eureka, CA

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Eureka CA
323 PM PST Tue Nov 21 2023

.SYNOPSIS...A decaying front may generate light rain or drizzle
for Del Norte and northern Humboldt Counties Wednesday into
Wednesday evening. Otherwise, dry weather or no rain is forecast
for the next 7 days. Potential for morning frost will increase for
the Humboldt Bay area Friday and again on Saturday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
.Short Term (tonight through Wednesday night)...High pressure
remains in place over the area this afternoon, however satellite
shows a weakening frontal boundary approaching the coast. Models
have started to slow this down and now it looks like the rain will
hold off until mid to late morning on Wednesday in Del Norte
county and into the afternoon for Humboldt county. Winds will
become southerly with this front, but will remain fairly light.
The front is expected to finally move through the area Wednesday
night and winds will rapidly become northerly and increase. MKK

.Long Term...A dryer airmass moves over the region Thursday and
continues through the weekend. Clear skies will cool off the
valleys and coast at night, with temperatures on the coast as low
as the mid 30s and temperatures in the inland valleys in the high
20s and lower 30s. Frost along the coast is possible, with the
highest chances (about a 50% chance of temperatures below 36F)
Friday and Saturday. Winds will be high with this dry airmass,
with breezy northerlies along the coast Thursday and Friday.
Ridges and areas of Lake County will experience stronger winds.

This dry airmass stays in place through the weekend, but there is
some considerable uncertainty if this remains in place into early
next week, where a weak system could impact the area Tuesday.
Later in the week there's greater potential for a storm, but this
is far enough away where uncertainty is even larger.

&&

.AVIATION...VFR conditions will most likely prevail today in all
terminals. There is potential for some haze from sea spray this
afternoon at the coastal terminals which could lower conditions into
MVFR. Cloud cover will increase tonight as a weak front moves in.
Light rain is possible with some lower ceilings and MVFR conditions
in CEC and ACV late tomorrow morning and afternoon. UKI is expected
to remain VFR through tomorrow.

&&

.MARINE...Winds are around 5 to 10 kt out of the south this
afternoon. These will continue through early Wednesday afternoon.
Also in the waters a northwest swell is moving into the waters.
This has built to around 5 feet at 15 seconds and will continue to
build slightly tonight to around 7 to 8 feet at 12 seconds in the
by Wednesday afternoon. Winds will start to pick up in the outer
waters as early as late afternoon Wednesday with and increase to
around 15 to 25 kt. Have added a small craft advisory to highlight
this in the outer waters. The gale watch remains on track
starting around 12Z, although this may need to started earlier.
The gale watch may also need to be extended into Friday, but held
off on this for now. Lighter winds are expected for the weekend.

Friday and into the weekend additional swells are expected to move
into the waters. The most significant of these swells is currently
expected to build into the waters Friday night into Saturday.
Initially the ENP model is showing this to be around 2 feet at 22
seconds building to around 9 feet at 19 seconds on Saturday
morning. MKK

&&

.BEACH HAZARDS...The buoys have been indicating some set behavior
in the waves this afternoon with up to 25 minutes between the
larger waves earlier this afternoon. This will continue to pose a
risk to beachgoers this afternoon. There is the potential for more
sneaker waves Friday night into Saturday with another long period
swell building into the waters. This one is expected to initially
be around 2 feet at 22 seconds building to 9 feet at 19 seconds by
Saturday morning. There is some residual swell at shorter periods
that may mitigate this slightly, but it will likely still need to
be highlighted. MKK

&&

.EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CA...
     Beach Hazards Statement until 6 PM PST this evening for
     CAZ101-103-104.

NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS...
     Gale Watch from late Wednesday night through Thursday
     evening for PZZ470-475.

     Small Craft Advisory from 5 PM Wednesday to 4 AM PST
     Thursday for PZZ470-475.

&&

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For forecast zone information
see the forecast zone map online:
https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.png