High Surf Advisory Issued For Sonoma County Coast

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area issued a High Surf Advisory late Wednesday for the Sonoma County coast, urging beachgoers to use caution along area beaches. Swells will build to 10 to 13 feet with breaking waves of 15 to 20 feet possible in the surf zone, forecasters said in the advisory, which runs from noon Thursday until 9 p.m. Friday.

The advisory zone stretches from coastal North Bay — including Point Reyes National Seashore — to the San Francisco Peninsula coast, Monterey Bay and Big Sur coast.

A high surf advisory means high surf will affect beaches, producing rip currents, localized beach erosion and sneaker waves. In this case, forecasters are expecting the largest waves Thursday night through late Friday morning.

"A large northwest swell will arrive to the Sonoma coast on Thursday before spreading southward to Monterey County throughout the day," according to weather officials. "Wave heights will continue increase into Thursday night and Friday."

Beach visitors, surfers, fisherman and others visiting the beaches should be prepared for building seas with dangerous crashing waves in the surf zone, according to the weather service.

"Expect an increased risk of rip currents that can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea," weather officials said. "Waves will run up beaches faster than usual. Sea surface temperatures in the mid to upper 50s will cause hypothermia in a short amount of time. Never turn your back to the ocean!"