Watch Out for High Seas and Gale Force Winds, Says US Coast Guard – Redheaded Blackbelt

Press release from the US Coast Guard:

22 ft swell crashes at the North Jetty in 2017. [Image by Laurie Jensen]

The Coast Guard encourages mariners to take precautions for high seas and gale force winds along Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte coastal areas beginning Wednesday.

The Coast Guard and National Weather Service (NWS) in Eureka are expecting powerful ocean swells as large as 19 feet to effect the northern California coast beginning Wednesday. These conditions have the potential to create large waves within entrance channels, especially during out-flowing ebb tides.

We advise smaller vessels to remain in port or take shelter, said Captain Gregory Fuller, Commander of Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay, commercial vessels should prepare for rough seas and consider remaining in port until these hazardous conditions subside.

The Coast Guard has established temporary safety zones to close entrance channels of Crescent City, Humboldt Bay and Fort Bragg during periods of hazardous surf. These safety zones will be activated by Coast Guard broadcast on VHF-FM channel 16 and will prohibit vessels from transiting harbor entrance channels during extreme environmental conditions.

We are now at the start of the season with higher risk of large surf and sneaker waves, cautioned Ryan Aylward, NWS Warning Meteorologist. We recommend avoiding steep beaches, rocky outcroppings and jetties, and remaining well back from any wet rocks or sand.

Mariners and beachgoers are encouraged to take the following precautions to protect themselves and their vessels:

Monitor the weather and heed all marine warnings on VHF-FM channel 16. Recreational boaters, personal watercraft and paddle craft users are advised to stay off the water due to hazardous sea conditions. Beachgoers are urged to stay out of the water and off jetties during this period of heavy weather due to increased risk of rip currents and sneaker waves.

For more information forecast conditions, visit the National Weather Service, Eureka Office http://www.weather.gov/eureka or facebook.com/NWSEureka.

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Watch Out for High Seas and Gale Force Winds, Says US Coast Guard - Redheaded Blackbelt