A storm that churned in the Gulf of Alaska sent the first major swell of the season to the Bay Area beaches Monday night, with waves up to 5 to 17 feet forecast for through Tuesday.
The biggest waves are predicted for northwest facing beaches from Sonoma County to Monterey County, including Ocean Beach in SF, Montara State Beach, and Marina State Beach.
The National Weather Service has a beach hazard statement that is in effect through 11 p.m. Tuesday. “Never turn your back on the sea,” warned the weather service.
This is the first beach hazard declaration that the weather service has issued for the region since March.
“This is the transition period when we will see larger northwest waves,” said Anna Schneider, a forecaster at the Bay Area Weather Service’s office. “It’s not that big compared to what we get in winter, but it’s a lot bigger than what we’ve seen all summer. Since it’s the first swell of the season, we wanted to make that statement.”
The warning comes after a cold front hit the Bay Area on Monday evening, bringing rain and light drizzle to the region. While the temperatures were cold on Monday morning, the sky was crystal clear and provided nice conditions for a stroll on the beach.
Beach goers should be aware of increased wave activity, torrential currents and waves that run further up the beach than usual.
“Waves will be able to knock down beach goers, with the risk of being drawn into the cold, turbulent sea water,” warned the weather service in its forecast.
Wednesday marks the start of a warming trend as offshore winds are expected to blow warmer air from the inland valleys towards the coast.
