Alert archive / California / Beach Hazards Statements in 2025

Beach Hazards Statement 4, NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA

February 24, 20256 counties in California

NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA issued this beach hazards statement at Feb 24, 2025, 12:05 PM PST for 6 counties in California. It took effect at Feb 25, 2025, 4:00 AM PST. It was in force for 5 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 24, 2025, 12:05 PM PST (20:05 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 25, 2025, 4:00 AM PST
Expired
Feb 25, 2025, 9:08 AM PST
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Counties City and County of San Francisco, CA, Marin County, CA, Monterey County, CA, San Mateo County, CA, Santa Cruz County, CA, Sonoma County, CA

The radar

The San Francisco radar (KMUX), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:08 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 12:00Z, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 26 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2025-02-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Oakland, CA at 12:00Z on 2025-02-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 43 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1025 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
43 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
134 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

499 
WHUS46 KMTR 242005
CFWMTR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
1205 PM PST Mon Feb 24 2025

CAZ006-505-509-530-250600-
/O.NEW.KMTR.BH.S.0004.250225T1200Z-250226T1200Z/
San Francisco-
Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore-
San Francisco Peninsula Coast-
Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast-
1205 PM PST Mon Feb 24 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...A long period westerly swell will result in an increased
  risk of sneaker waves and rip currents. Breaking waves of 15 to
  18 feet along west and northwest facing beaches.

* WHERE...San Francisco, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes
  National Seashore, San Francisco Peninsula Coast and Southern
  Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast.

* WHEN...From late tonight through late Tuesday night.

* IMPACTS...Sneaker waves can unexpectedly run significantly
  farther up the beach than normal, including over rocks and
  jetties. These waves can suddenly knock people off their feet
  and quickly pull them into the cold ocean waters, where currents
  will be stronger than normal. These waves can also carry
  driftwood logs and other debris.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
539 
WHUS46 KMTR 250535
CFWMTR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
935 PM PST Mon Feb 24 2025

CAZ006-505-509-530-251300-
/O.CON.KMTR.BH.S.0004.250225T1200Z-250226T1200Z/
San Francisco-
Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore-
San Francisco Peninsula Coast-
Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast-
935 PM PST Mon Feb 24 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM PST
TUESDAY THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...A long period westerly swell will result in an 
  increased risk of sneaker waves and rip currents. Breaking 
  waves of 15 to 18 feet along west and northwest facing beaches.

* WHERE...San Francisco, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes 
  National Seashore, San Francisco Peninsula Coast and Southern 
  Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast.

* WHEN...From late tonight through late Tuesday night.

* IMPACTS...Sneaker waves can unexpectedly run significantly 
  farther up the beach than normal, including over rocks and 
  jetties. These waves can suddenly knock people off their feet 
  and quickly pull them into the cold ocean waters, where 
  currents will be stronger than normal. These waves can also 
  carry driftwood logs and other debris.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
976 
WHUS46 KMTR 251118
CFWMTR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
318 AM PST Tue Feb 25 2025

CAZ006-505-509-530-252230-
/O.CON.KMTR.BH.S.0004.250225T1200Z-250226T1200Z/
San Francisco-
Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore-
San Francisco Peninsula Coast-
Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast-
318 AM PST Tue Feb 25 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE
TONIGHT...

* WHAT...A long period westerly swell will result in an 
  increased risk of sneaker waves and rip currents. Breaking 
  waves of 15 to 18 feet along west and northwest facing beaches.

* WHERE...San Francisco, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes 
  National Seashore, San Francisco Peninsula Coast and Southern 
  Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast.

* WHEN...From late tonight through late Tuesday night.

* IMPACTS...Sneaker waves can unexpectedly run significantly 
  farther up the beach than normal, including over rocks and 
  jetties. These waves can suddenly knock people off their feet 
  and quickly pull them into the cold ocean waters, where 
  currents will be stronger than normal. These waves can also 
  carry driftwood logs and other debris.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$
636 
WHUS46 KMTR 251708
CFWMTR

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
908 AM PST Tue Feb 25 2025

CAZ006-505-509-530-260115-
/O.CAN.KMTR.BH.S.0004.000000T0000Z-250226T1200Z/
/O.NEW.KMTR.SU.Y.0002.250225T1708Z-250226T1200Z/
San Francisco-
Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore-
San Francisco Peninsula Coast-
Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast-
908 AM PST Tue Feb 25 2025

...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM PST WEDNESDAY...
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IS CANCELLED...

* WHAT...Large NW swell will result in breaking waves of 20 to 25
  feet along North and West facing beaches.

* 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...Until 4 AM PST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and
  localized beach erosion. Sneaker waves can unexpectedly run
  significantly farther up the beach than normal, including over
  rocks and jetties. These waves can suddenly knock people off
  their feet and quickly pull them into the cold ocean waters,
  where currents will be stronger than normal. These waves can
  also carry driftwood logs and other debris.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions. Never
turn your back on the ocean!

&&

$$

CAZ529-260115-
/O.NEW.KMTR.BH.S.0005.250225T1708Z-250226T1200Z/
Northern Monterey Bay-
908 AM PST Tue Feb 25 2025

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

* WHAT...A long period westerly swell will result in an increased
  risk of sneaker waves and rip currents. Breaking waves up to 15
  feet along favored break points.

* WHERE...Northern Monterey Bay County.

* WHEN...Through late tonight.

* IMPACTS...Sneaker waves can unexpectedly run significantly
  farther up the beach than normal, including over rocks and
  jetties. These waves can suddenly knock people off their feet
  and quickly pull them into the cold ocean waters, where currents
  will be stronger than normal. These waves can also carry
  driftwood logs and other debris.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.

&&

$$

Nearby

Beach Hazards Statements in California, 2025Every beach hazards statement in 2025

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.