Weather
'Dangerous Surf': 17-Foot Waves In Santa Cruz County Tuesday
SEE VIDEO: Exceptional waves are battering the coast. Breaking waves of up to 25 feet are possible, weather officials said.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — A high surf advisory was issued in the Santa Cruz County area as waves that were "no joke [Tuesday] morning" continued to wallop the Monterey Bay coastline, according to the National Weather Service.
Buoys in Santa Cruz captured wave heights up to 16 and 17 feet early Tuesday morning, with wave periods of 19 and 20 seconds, respectively, according to NWS. Breaking waves upwards of 25 feet are possible in the chilly waters, which were in the low 50s Tuesday morning.
The high surf advisory was slated to be in effect until 9 p.m. Tuesday. That means an increased risk of large breaking waves, sneaker waves and rip currents that could pose a threat to unsuspecting swimmers and beachgoers.
Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
People may seek to stay away from the water, keep off of coastal jetties and watch pets, according to NWS. Never turn your back to the ocean.
Wondering what dangerous surf looks like? Take a look at these videos from Surfline of spots around the San Francisco and Monterey bay areas:
Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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