San Francisco, CA – The National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area has issued a Beach Hazards Statement for all Pacific Coast beaches beginning 7 a.m. Saturday through 3 a.m. Tuesday, warning of a heightened risk for sneaker waves and rip currents.
Forecasters say a long-period northwesterly swell will bring waves between 12 and 17 feet, with some sets reaching up to 20 feet at favored coastal breakpoints.
The NWS cautions that sneaker waves can unexpectedly surge farther up the beach than normal, sweeping over rocks, jetties, and low-lying areas. Officials are urging residents and visitors to stay off waterside infrastructure, avoid swimming, and never turn their back on the ocean.
The advisory includes beaches from Sonoma County south through Monterey Bay and along the Central Coast, where dangerous surf conditions could persist through early Tuesday morning.
While skies will remain mostly clear, forecasters stress that surf conditions alone pose serious safety risks for those near the shoreline.
“Remain out of the water and stay off rocks and jetties,” NWS officials advised in Friday’s alert.
