The National Weather Service is advising people to practice extreme caution through next week as sneaker waves, rip currents and high surf are likely on Santa Cruz beaches, as well as all Pacific Coast beaches.
Starting Friday, the coastlines are expected to have breaking waves of 13 to 18 feet and increased risk of sneaker waves and rip currents. On Monday, a northwest swell is forecast to bring more high breaking waves and extreme risk of sneaker waves through Wednesday
In Santa Cruz, King Tides will return from Dec. 2 to Dec. 7. King Tides are extreme tides about 1 to 2 feet higher than usual caused by the gravitational pull of the earth, moon and sun. The highest tides are forecast for Dec. 4 and 5, with 1.4 feet of inundation above typically dry ground. The NWS estimate for King Tides doesn’t include the potential impacts of the expected high surf forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday.
In two separate incidents earlier this month in Big Sur, three people died after they were swept out to sea under hazardous ocean conditions. On Nov. 14, a father and his daughter died after they were pulled into the water by waves at Garrapata State Beach. About a week later, a U.S. Army specialist died after a wave swept him into the water.