California, 2023High Surf in California, October 17 to 19, 2023
October 17 to 19, 2023 · NWS MTR · 3 events in 2 counties and zones
Long-period swell from the North Pacific impacted the central California coast on October 18 and 19. Offshore wave heights reached up to 14-16 feet, causing high surf at up to 17-22 feet, with isolated focal points up to 30 feet.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
Long-period swell from the North Pacific impacted the central California coast on October 18 and 19. Offshore wave heights reached up to 14-16 feet, causing high surf at up to 17-22 feet, with isolated focal points up to 30 feet.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS San Francisco Bay Area, CA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 17, 1:50 PM PST, 9 hours 10 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Oct 17, 1:50 PM PST, 9 hours 10 minutes before
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</html>High Surf, Northern Monterey Bay
- When
- October 17, 11:00 PM PST to October 18, 11:00 PM PST
- Where
- Northern Monterey Bay forecast zone
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
State Parks in Santa Cruz County reported 7 water rescues on Wednesday, October 18.
High Surf, Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast
- When
- October 18, 11:00 AM PST
- Where
- Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast forecast zone
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 36.240, -121.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A man around 30 years old from the Carmel-by-the-Sea area got stuck in a rip current around 300 yards out on the water on Carmel beach near Ocean Avenue and Scenic Road. Three surfers heard his cries for help and swam out to rescue him. The man was already on shore by the time first responders arrived, and refused medical attention.
High Surf, Northern Monterey Bay
- When
- October 18, 11:00 PM PST to October 19, 11:00 PM PST
- Where
- Northern Monterey Bay forecast zone
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 37.022, -122.010 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
State Parks in Santa Cruz County reported 5 water rescues on Thursday, October 19.
- High Surf
- Large waves breaking on the shore that caused damage, erosion or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- High Wind in Montana, October 17, 202365 kt wind · 31 events
- Drought in Tennessee, October 17 to 31, 202328 events
- Drought in Oklahoma, October 17 to 31, 202324 events
- High Wind in North Dakota, October 17, 202373 kt wind · 18 events
- Drought in Mississippi, October 17 to 31, 202316 events
- High Wind in Montana, October 17, 202361 kt wind · 9 events
- High Wind in South Dakota, October 17, 202361 kt wind · 8 events
- Drought in Texas, October 17 to 31, 20237 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in South Dakota, October 17 to 18, 202354 kt wind · 7 events
- Drought in Alabama, October 17 to 31, 20236 events
- Drought in Tennessee, October 17 to 31, 20236 events
- High Wind in Montana, October 17, 202356 kt wind · 6 events
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: 1133535, 1133549, 1133536.