Weather Alert: Bay Area storm brings beach hazard conditions

Beach hazard alert along the California coast

Another rain system is moving into the Bay Area Wednesday night. Also, we have an alert for hazardous beach conditions.

SAN FRANCISCO - Another rain event is moving into the Bay Area on Wednesday night, but hazardous beach conditions also looms along the coast.

What we know:

The National Weather Service says this next low-pressure system is likely to arrive from the northwest later in the day, continuing into Thursday. That system is expected to bring more rain across the region.

In addition, the NWS has issued a beach hazard statement that will go into effect at 4 p.m. on Thursday and continues through Monday night.

Watch out for the increased risk of sneaker waves and rip currents with breaking waves between 13 and 18 feet, the NWS says.

The beach hazard is for beaches along the Pacific coast stretching from the Monterey Bay north to the Sonoma County coast.

KTVU meteorologist Roberta Gonzales says these types of conditions can knock even the strongest swimmers off their feet, sweep people off of rocks, jetties and coastal trails with little to no warning.

She also reminds that this alert comes just after a tragic incident at Garrapata Beach along the Big Sur coastline last week when a family was swept to sea. A little girl and her father did not survive that incident.

Holiday travelers beware

"It's an extreme important hazard. But we also have a lot of people coming into town. They're visitors and the weather this weekend is going to be glorious," Gonzales said.

There will be long-period swells. This may cause people to think the beach appears to be calm, but unlike short-period swells, which see a rapid-wave frequency, erratic waves and currents could take beach goers by surprise.

She took a look at some of the recent sneaker wave incidents of 2025. The most recent was the aforementioned Garrapata Beach in Monterey County. On Oct. 23 there was an incident off the Humboldt coast at North Jetty Samoa Dunes. Another incident happened at Gerstle Cove on March 3, and the first sneaker wave incident of the year, where a father and son drowned, was recorded at Cowell Ranch State Beach at Half Moon Bay.

Roberta's safety tips

Here’s what everyone should keep in mind:

Never turn your back on the ocean. Sneaker waves arrive without warning and can surge far up the beach.
Stay off rocks, logs, and jetties. They can be lifted or rolled by incoming waves.
Keep children and pets well back from the waterline.
If a beach does not have lifeguards, use extreme caution.
When in doubt, stay farther back than you think you need to.

She reminds a few words of caution may help save a life.

KTVU Chief Meteorologist Mark Tamayo and Bay City News contributed to this report.

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