High Surf — San Francisco Peninsula Coast, California

2022-11-06 · San Francisco Peninsula Coast, California

Event narrative

One person drowned and another was rescued in the turbulent waters off Pacifica's Linda Mar Beach. No beach hazard product was in effect at the time. CDIP buoy off Point Reyes showed significant swell heights of around 7-8 feet at 12 seconds, and wind waves of around 6 feet at 9 seconds, at time of incident.

Wider weather episode

A deepening trough off of the West Coast enhanced by an upper jet led to large-scale ascent over the Bay Area, and particularly the Central Coast, as a series of cold fronts swept through the area over a three day period from November 5th-7th. These favorable dynamics and forcings brought widespread stratiform rainfall to the Bay Area and Central Coast. Behind the last of the fronts, a cold unstable airmass settled into the region, bringing scattered convective showers and thunderstorms over land and water, thus increasing flooding and bringing gusty winds. A Flash Flood Watch was issued for the Colorado and River Burn Scars in Monterey County for November 8th, along with Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisories for large swaths of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties, and portions of Monterey, San Benito and Alameda Counties. A Wind Advisory was also issued for coastal areas effective November 8th. Storm total rainfall was generally 0.75 to 2 but was higher in the Santa Cruz Mountains (2-3+) and in the Santa Lucia's (2-5+).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1056758. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.