July 8, 1887 Tsunami: N. California, United States
A tsunami of unknown cause began at N. California, United States on July 8, 1887. The water rose as high as 0.06 meters. Its effects were recorded at 1 place.
Where the waves reached
The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.
- Under 1 m
- 1 to 3 m
- 3 to 10 m
- 10 to 30 m
- 30 m and more
- Height not recorded
The tsunami
- Date
- July 8, 1887
- Source
- N. California, United States
- Cause
- Unknown
- Maximum water height
- 0.06 m (0.2 ft)
- Runups recorded
- 1
- Waters
- Ocean
- How certain
- Questionable tsunami
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this tsunami.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Distinct waves recorded on the tide gauge at Sausalito had a period of about twelve minutes, a maximum amplitude of about 2.4 inches, and continued for about 3 hours. A source is not known for this event but a local source is possible due to the short period. There was no report of an earthquake. A submarine landslide source usually has a longer initial period. A subaerial landslide source is possible but there are no reports to substantiate the occurrence.
A study of the tide bulletin of the Coast Guard station at Sausalito for July, shows that a distinct wave caused by an earthquake entered San Francisco Bay at 16:00 local time. The oscillations gradually abated and disappeared at 19:30 (Reference #415).
Every runup
Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.
| Where | Country | Km from source | Water height, m | Inland, m | Measured by | First wave, UTC | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sausalito, CA, CA | United States | 0.06 | Tide gauge (half the maximum wave height) |
More
Every tsunami in 1887The 1800sTsunamis of United StatesThis day in weather historyAlerts in force
Sources
Tsunami events and runups from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI tsunami event 1169.