High Surf in Oregon

Events

132

Deaths

29

Injuries

9

Damage

$2.2 million

• High Surf in Oregon, December 13 to 16, 20064 deaths · 1 eventHeavy swell brought high surf to the Southern Oregon coast on these days. A High Surf Warning was in effect for Oregon zone ORZ021 from 13/1819 PST until 15/1540 PST, and for Oregon zone ORZ022 from 14/1600 PST until 15/1540 PST.
• High Surf in Oregon, January 19, 20163 deaths · 1 injured · 1 eventThe 40.1 feet Eagle III commercial crab fishing vessel collided with the Coos Bay north jetty and capsized around 830 pm on 1/19/2016. The vessel had left Charleston, OR but was registered in Port Orford, OR. There were 4 people on board.
• High Surf in Oregon, May 9, 20063 deaths · 1 event3 fatalities were recorded when a 16 foot boat capsized near the Coos Bay south jetty. It was struck by two waves, the second capsized the vessel. The victims were not wearing life jackets and the water temperature was 52 degrees.
• High Surf in Oregon, January 8, 20193 deaths · 1 eventSeas were building ahead of a frontal system approaching on Tuesday night. Seas were up around 12 to 14 feet in the Yaquina Bay Bar when the boat the Mary B II tried to cross. Three fisherman died.
• High Surf in Oregon, November 10, 20052 deaths · 1 injured · 1 eventA "sneaker wave" swept a mother and two sons into the surf near Port Orford. The mother and older son were drowned, the younger son survived and was treated for hypothermia. Surf at the time was heavy, but not heavy enough to qualify for a High Surf Advisory.
• High Wind and High Surf in Oregon, November 18 to 19, 20092 deaths · 59 kt wind · 3 eventsA Pacific storm brought strong winds and rough seas to the coastline and adjacent waters. Two fishermen were believed lost to the sea when they could not be found after going missing during a fishing trip.
• High Surf in Oregon, October 25, 20082 deaths · 1 eventA sneaker wave swept two people, a boy and his uncle, into the ocean near Simpson Beach, south of Coos Bay. The people were standing on rocks near the water when a knee high wave broke into them. The six year old boy was pulled from the water, but died en route to the hospital.
• High Surf in Oregon, October 25 to 26, 20212 deaths · $10,000 · 1 eventA storm system over the northeast Pacific generated large waves that moved to the Oregon and Washington coasts.
• High Surf in Oregon, January 26, 20161 death · $500,000 · 1 eventThe 42.3' steel-hulled crab fishing vessel Sarah Jo had a crew of 3. She was crossing the Coos bar around 4 pm local time, when the crankshaft broke, possibly as a result of rough conditions. After losing power, the boat then took a breaking wave on the bar, capsized, then sank.
• High Surf in Oregon, August 4, 20141 death · 1 injured · 1 eventThree people wading in the water near the north jetty in Tillamook were swept out to sea by a sneaker wave. Two of the people made it to shore safely, but one did not.
• High Surf in Oregon, April 20, 20141 death · 1 injured · 1 eventHigh surf resulted in rapid rushes of water onto local beaches. One such surge of water swept two people into the ocean. A third person attempted to rescue one of the victims and was struck by a large log that was rolling in the tide. The injuries from this log were fatal.
• High Surf in Oregon, April 24, 20141 death · 1 injured · 1 eventA rock climber was hit by a large wave that swept him into the Ocean.
• High Surf in Oregon, February 1, 20071 death · 1 eventTwo people were pulling crab pots onto a 15 foot boat off Sporthaven Beach near Brookings. The seas were calm, but suddenly a 12 foot wave arose from the sea. The boat skipper attempted to outrun the wave, but was swamped.
• High Surf in Oregon, October 19, 20171 death · 1 eventA Gold Beach resident walking on the south jetty at the mouth of the Rogue River was swept into the water by a large wave. She was last seen alive on the jetty at at 6:15 PM PDT Thursday, and her body was recovered near the sand spit at the mouth of the river Friday afternoon.
• High Surf in Oregon, January 3, 20181 death · 1 eventA wave swept a Nevada resident off a rock near Indian Sands Trail, 16 miles north of Brookings Oregon. This occurred around 10 AM PST on 01/03/2018. His body was not found after several days of searching.
• High Surf in Oregon, August 6, 20181 death · 1 eventOn August 6, 2018, around 2 PM the US Coast Guard noticed a vessel had capsized while crossing the bar at the mouth of the Siuslaw River, killing one person. There was weak high pressure over the area at the time, with winds out of the north gusting to 10 kt.
• High Surf in Oregon, September 19 to 20, 2005$1.0 million · 1 eventA 38-foot tuna charter boat capsized near the Umpqua River Jetty in Winchester Bay, off of Reedsport, Oregon. The Coast Guard rescued the vessel captain and a passenger. Two others were found dead in the water, and a fifth person remains missing.
• High Surf in Oregon, June 14, 2003$500,000 · 1 eventThe Taki-Tooo, a 32 foot fishing charter with 19 onboard, rolled over in the heavy surf/swell while crossing the Tillamook Bar during one of the strongest ebb currents of the summer. There were nine fatalities, two remain missing, and eight survived.
• High Surf in Oregon, January 21, 20171 injured · $160,000 · 1 eventA significant long-period westerly swell brought seas up into the mid 20s in feet.
• Debris Flow and Heavy Snow in Oregon, December 8 to 9, 20041 injured · $100,000 · 50 kt wind · 8 eventsA large powerful Pacific storm brought a wide variety of weather to Northwestern Oregon. High winds along the Coast heralded the approach of the storm early in the morning.
• Winter Storm and Flooding in Oregon, January 2 to 5, 2022$38,000 · 83 kt wind · 17 eventsThe first of two strong Pacific fronts brought high winds to the coast as well as gusty winds to the Willamette Valley and interior lowlands of southwest Washington.
• Flood and High Wind in Oregon, December 17 to 18, 2018$55,000 · 74 kt wind · 8 eventsA strong low pressure system over the Gulf of Alaska brought a strong cold front through. This generated strong winds across northwest Oregon, and also brought heavy rain which caused flooding on the Tillamook river. Large seas also caused damage in spots along beaches.
• Blizzard and Winter Storm in Oregon, January 6 to 10, 202482 kt wind · 17 eventsA strong cold front swept across the Pacific Northwest on the 8th, ushering in much colder air. Strong and deep onshore flow in this cold air mass led to periods of heavy snow, strong winds for the Cascades, with snow for the lowlands.
• High Surf in Oregon, December 24, 20141 injured · 1 eventA boy was injured as a sneaker wave lifted a log and rolled it on top of him.
• High Surf in Oregon, April 15, 20161 injured · 1 eventA man was swept out to sea when a sneaker wave struck him while taking photos.

High Surf everywhereEvery kind of event in Oregon

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 2026-09-24.