Overview
- A Beach Hazard Statement covers Central Coast beaches through midweek because a long-period southerly swell is generating 6–8 foot breakers with some south-facing shores up to 10 feet.
- Authorities warn that sneaker waves and powerful rip currents can arrive with little notice and can push people far up beaches or trap them against bluffs and stairways.
- Local marine alerts include a small craft advisory for rough seas and northwest gusts near 30 knots and a gale warning from Point Pinos to Point Piedras Blancas for nearshore vessels.
- Evening high tides can cut off access at limited-entry beaches and make it much harder to exit the water than to enter it, raising the chance of rescues and straining lifeguard resources.
- The swell energy originated from eastern Pacific storms such as Hurricane Fausto and the nearby tropical system Genevieve, so officials urge people to stay well back from the surf and avoid entering the water.