Eureka, CA – Residents along the Northern California coastline may notice a low-flying aircraft broadcasting announcements Saturday morning, but officials stress there is no emergency.
According to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the Civil Air Patrol will conduct a test flight of its aerial loudspeaker system along the Humboldt and Del Norte county coastlines on Saturday, January 17, 2026, weather permitting.
The flight is scheduled to begin near the Oregon state line around 11:30 a.m., cross into Humboldt County at approximately 12:20 p.m., and exit the coastline just south of Shelter Cove around 1:40 p.m. The aircraft will fly north to south along the coast.
Officials say the exercise is designed to train personnel and test loudspeakers that could be used during a tsunami warning or other coastal emergency, where ground alerts may not reach remote beach areas in time.
During the test, the aircraft’s loudspeaker system will clearly announce that the broadcast is only a test of the Civil Air Patrol’s public address system and will reference the local County Office of Emergency Services.
The plane involved is described as a brightly painted red, white, and blue single-propeller aircraft, with the letters “CAP” visible under the wings.
Similar aerial loudspeaker tests were conducted along the North Coast in 2018, 2021, and 2022, coordinated with coastal counties, the National Weather Service Eureka office, and the Redwood Coast Tsunami Work Group.
Officials note that poor weather or technical issues could cause the test to be delayed or rescheduled.
In a real tsunami warning, if time allows, the aircraft would broadcast instructions directing beachgoers to move inland or seek higher ground and to follow guidance from local emergency officials.
Residents may submit feedback or recordings of the test to local emergency services:
- Del Norte County OES: https://www.preparedelnorte.com/give-feedback
- Humboldt County OES: oes@co.humboldt.ca.us
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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