California, 2022

Tsunami in California, January 15, 2022

January 15, 2022 · NWS MTR · 2 events in 1 county or zone

An underwater eruption of a volcano in Tonga (South Pacific archipelago) triggered a tsunami across the Pacific basin. S.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$9.5 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MTR wrote it up.

An underwater eruption of a volcano in Tonga (South Pacific archipelago) triggered a tsunami across the Pacific basin. The National Tsunami Warning center in Palmer, AK issued a Tsunami Advisory for the U.S. Pacific Coast on the morning of January 15th due to the threat of strong currents and dangerous waves reaching the area. The wave energy damaged boats in harbors, flooded parking lots and coastal areas, and led to water rescues of boaters and surfers all along the coast. Around the SF Bay Area and Central Coast, the greatest impacts were observed in the Port of Santa Cruz. Local authorities closed beaches, boardwalks, harbors and piers all along the coast and people were instructed to keep boats docked. Peak tsunami wave heights along the Central Coast were measured at 2.4 feet at a Monterey tidal buoy and 2.9 feet at a Point Reyes buoy Sunday morning, with higher heights in San Luis Obispo and Mendocino Counties. The Tsunami advisory was lifted for parts of the coast by Saturday evening, with the remaining coastal areas removed from the advisory just after midnight Sunday.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 tsunami. Local standard time, as filed.

Tsunami, Northern Monterey Bay

When
January 15, 7:00 AM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Northern Monterey Bay forecast zone
Property damage
$6.5 million
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wave energy from the tsunami reached the West Coast and caused approximately $6.5 million in damage to Santa Cruz Harbor, according to the local Port Director. Damage was inflicted on utility infrastructure, pilings and bathroom facilities, as more than 3 feet of water poured in. Waves also knocked out power around the harbor docks, a place where many people live on their boats.

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2022/01/18/santa-cruz-harbor-sees-more-than-6-million-in-tsunami-damage/.

https://twitter.com/VFisher45/status/1482419734112915457.

Tsunami, Northern Monterey Bay

When
January 15, 7:00 AM PST to 3:00 PM PST
Where
Northern Monterey Bay forecast zone
Property damage
$3.0 million
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The tsunami caused at a minimum $3 million in damage to the Moss Landing Harbor District. Damage was inflicted on pilings, docks, the harbor channel and infrastructure. There is also potential damage to the shoreline and a possible need for dredging.

https://kion546.com/news/2022/03/04/funding-approved-for-damage-repairs-in-moss-landing-harbor-district-caused-by-tonga-tsunami/.

What these are

Tsunami
A series of waves caused by an undersea earthquake, landslide or eruption.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in California, January 2022

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1005799, 1005800.