Alert archive / California / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026

Beach Hazards Statement 9, NWS Eureka, CA

May 26, 2026Del Norte County, Humboldt County, Mendocino County, California

NWS Eureka, CA issued this beach hazards statement at May 26, 2026, 3:38 PM PDT for Del Norte County, Humboldt County, Mendocino County, California. It took effect at May 27, 2026, 2:00 PM PDT. It was in force for 33 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 26, 2026, 3:38 PM PDT (22:38 UTC)
In effect from
May 27, 2026, 2:00 PM PDT
Expired
May 28, 2026, 11:00 PM PDT
In force
33 hr
Issued by
NWS Eureka, CA

Counties Del Norte County, CA, Humboldt County, CA, Mendocino County, CA

The radar

The Eureka (Bunker Hill) radar (KBHX), 47 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:38 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, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 349 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 2026-05-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 4 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2026-05-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 19 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
4 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
529 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
44 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

011 
WHUS46 KEKA 262238
CFWEKA

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Eureka CA
338 PM PDT Tue May 26 2026

CAZ101-103-104-109-271045-
/O.NEW.KEKA.BH.S.0009.260527T2100Z-260529T0600Z/
Coastal Del Norte-Northern Coastal Humboldt-Southwestern Humboldt-
Coastal Mendocino-
338 PM PDT Tue May 26 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Increased threat of sneaker waves expected.

* WHERE...Beaches in Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties
  that are exposed to the northwest.  

* WHEN...From Wednesday afternoon through Thursday evening. .

* IMPACTS...Large, unexpected waves can sweep across the beach 
  without warning, sweeping people into the sea from rocks, 
  jetties, and beaches. These sneaker waves can also move large 
  objects such as logs, crushing anyone caught underneath.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...An unusually long period swell for may will
  begin building Wednesday afternoon at 23 seconds and peak
  Thursday around 7 feet at 16 seconds. Sneaker wave risk will be
  greatest early Thursday on beaches with mostly calm winds and 
  exposed to the northwest. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Don't be fooled by an ocean that looks calm.  There can be
30 minutes of small waves before a sneaker wave strikes.  Avoid
rocks and jetties. Avoid steep beaches.  Stay much farther back
from the water and never turn your back on the ocean.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
146 
WHUS46 KEKA 270543
CFWEKA

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Eureka CA
1043 PM PDT Tue May 26 2026

CAZ101-103-104-109-271345-
/O.CON.KEKA.BH.S.0009.260527T2100Z-260529T0600Z/
Coastal Del Norte-Northern Coastal Humboldt-Southwestern Humboldt-
Coastal Mendocino-
1043 PM PDT Tue May 26 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Increased threat of sneaker waves expected.

* WHERE...Coastal Del Norte, Northern Coastal Humboldt, 
  Southwestern Humboldt and Coastal Mendocino Counties.

* WHEN...From Wednesday afternoon through Thursday evening. .

* IMPACTS...Large, unexpected waves can sweep across the beach 
  without warning, sweeping people into the sea from rocks, 
  jetties, and beaches. These sneaker waves can also move large 
  objects such as logs, crushing anyone caught underneath.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Don't be fooled by an ocean that looks calm.  There can be
30 minutes of small waves before a sneaker wave strikes.  Avoid
rocks and jetties. Avoid steep beaches.  Stay much farther back
from the water and never turn your back on the ocean.

&&

$$
989 
WHUS46 KEKA 271602
CFWEKA

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Eureka CA
902 AM PDT Wed May 27 2026

CAZ101-103-104-109-280600-
/O.CON.KEKA.BH.S.0009.260527T2100Z-260529T0600Z/
Coastal Del Norte-Northern Coastal Humboldt-Southwestern Humboldt-
Coastal Mendocino-
902 AM PDT Wed May 27 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM PDT THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...Increased threat of sneaker waves expected.

* WHERE...Beaches in Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties
  that are exposed to the northwest.  

* WHEN...From Wednesday afternoon through Thursday evening. .

* IMPACTS...Large, unexpected waves can sweep across the beach 
  without warning, sweeping people into the sea from rocks, 
  jetties, and beaches. These sneaker waves can also move large 
  objects such as logs, crushing anyone caught underneath.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...An unusually long period swell for May 
  will begin building Wednesday afternoon at 23 seconds and peak 
  Thursday around 7 feet at 16 seconds. Sneaker wave risk will be 
  greatest early Thursday on beaches with mostly calm winds and 
  exposed to the northwest. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Don't be fooled by an ocean that looks calm.  There can be
30 minutes of small waves before a sneaker wave strikes.  Avoid
rocks and jetties. Avoid steep beaches.  Stay much farther back
from the water and never turn your back on the ocean.

&&

$$
716 
WHUS46 KEKA 280730
CFWEKA

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Eureka CA
1230 AM PDT Thu May 28 2026

CAZ101-103-104-109-281530-
/O.CON.KEKA.BH.S.0009.000000T0000Z-260529T0600Z/
Coastal Del Norte-Northern Coastal Humboldt-Southwestern Humboldt-
Coastal Mendocino-
1230 AM PDT Thu May 28 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Increased threat of sneaker waves expected.

* WHERE...Coastal Del Norte, Northern Coastal Humboldt, 
  Southwestern Humboldt and Coastal Mendocino Counties.

* WHEN...Through this evening. .

* IMPACTS...Large, unexpected waves can sweep across the beach
  without warning, sweeping people into the sea from rocks,
  jetties, and beaches. These sneaker waves can also move large
  objects such as logs, crushing anyone caught underneath.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Don't be fooled by an ocean that looks calm.  There can be
30 minutes of small waves before a sneaker wave strikes.  Avoid
rocks and jetties. Avoid steep beaches.  Stay much farther back
from the water and never turn your back on the ocean.

&&

$$
056 
WHUS46 KEKA 281748
CFWEKA

Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Eureka CA
1048 AM PDT Thu May 28 2026

CAZ101-103-104-109-290200-
/O.CON.KEKA.BH.S.0009.000000T0000Z-260529T0600Z/
Coastal Del Norte-Northern Coastal Humboldt-Southwestern Humboldt-
Coastal Mendocino-
1048 AM PDT Thu May 28 2026

...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Increased threat of sneaker waves expected due to set
  behavior from long period waves building into the area.

* WHERE...Coastal Del Norte and Humboldt Counties.

* WHEN...Through this evening. .

* IMPACTS...Large, unexpected waves can sweep across the beach 
  without warning, sweeping people into the sea from rocks, 
  jetties, and beaches. These sneaker waves can also move large 
  objects such as logs, crushing anyone caught underneath.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Don't be fooled by an ocean that looks calm.  There can be
30 minutes of small waves before a sneaker wave strikes.  Avoid
rocks and jetties. Avoid steep beaches.  Stay much farther back
from the water and never turn your back on the ocean.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Eureka, CA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 26, 8:49 AM PDTGale WarningEKA27 hr
May 26, 8:49 AM PDTGale WarningEKA38 hr

Nearby

Beach Hazards Statements in California, 2026Every beach hazards statement in 2026

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.