Tsunami advisory issued for California coast
UPDATE at 10:56: Forecast initial wave height in Half Moon Bay is 3.3 ft, shortly before forecast arrival in San Francisco at 1:26pm today.
A tsunami advisory (low-level warning) has been issued for the coastal areas along California. The tsunami is expected reach San Francisco at 1:26pm, and the San Mateo coast shortly before that.
Significant widespread inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory. Tsunami advisories mean that a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or very near the water is imminent or expected.
Currents may be hazardous to swimmers, boats, and coastal structures and may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival.
Sat, February 27, 2010 7:18am
Katharine Weber
All my comments
I haven’t heard a word about this anywhere else, nor have I heard any advisories. I’m at less than 50 feet above sea level where I live…...
Sat, February 27, 2010 8:12am
Rick Nelson
All my comments
This is all direct from the NWS web site (the capitalization is thiers not mine):
TSUNAMI ADVISORIES MEAN THAT A TSUNAMI CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES DANGEROUS TO PERSONS IN OR VERY NEAR THE
WATER IS IMMINENT OR EXPECTED. SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS UNDER AN ADVISORY. CURRENTS MAY BE
HAZARDOUS TO SWIMMERS… BOATS… AND COASTAL STRUCTURES AND MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL WAVE ARRIVAL. THE INITIAL WAVE WILL NOT BE THE LARGEST. COASTAL RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED TO STAY OUT OF THE WATER…OFF THE BEACH…AND AWAY FROM HARBORS AND MARINAS. WAVE HEIGHTS AND CURRENTS ARE AMPLIFIED BY IRREGULAR SHORELINE AND ARE DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. THE TSUNAMI MAY NOT BE VISIBLE AMONG THE COMMON OCEAN SURF…YET TIDE GUAGES WILL LIKELY REPORT SOME FLUCTUATIONS.
The part about harbors and irregular shorelines kind of got my attention, I went to the Harbormaster this morning about 6:30 and he said they “were going to have a conference call”. Does this mean they don’t have a pre-existing plan for when a tsunami advisory goes into effect?
Sat, February 27, 2010 8:31am
jlundell
All my comments
NWS at 10:10: “Latest intel from the Tsunami Warning center brings initial waves into Santa Barbara at 12:31pm this afternoon… reaching San Francisco around 1:26pm. Forecast wave heights along the California coast include 4.6 feet at Pismo Beach… 3.3 feet at Half Moon Bay and 0.7 feet at San Francisco.”
Sat, February 27, 2010 10:24am
jlundell
All my comments
NWS at 11 (more detail; no real change).
Sat, February 27, 2010 11:15am
Terry Baldwin
All my comments
Is that why Poplar St. Beach parking is closed off? It’s a pretty high cliff and they didn’t close Kelly St.