“I strongly suggest nobody getting anywhere near the ocean unless they want to die,” Sponsler told The Standard.
“I strongly suggest nobody getting anywhere near the ocean unless they want to die,” Sponsler told The Standard.
The powerful low-pressure system will move in from the Pacific Northwest. While the storm hasn’t formed yet, it has been appearing in forecast models for several days, and experts are monitoring conditions. “We’ll be issuing high surf advisories or beach hazard statements when we are confident enough in the forecast,” Hoang said Wednesday.
“We encourage people to never turn their back to the ocean,” Hoang added, noting that beachgoers should avoid rip currents and swim only at beaches that have lifeguards.
Besides the rough surf, there will be “very impactful rainfall” in the region, Hoang said.
This would mark the first major swell event of the big wave season, which typically begins in October, following what Sponsler called “a slow start.”
Experts recommend viewing the waves from elevated locations like cliffs, staying well away from beaches.
“Don’t take your kids down on the beach. That would be the world’s biggest mistake you could make,” Sponsler said, adding that it’s also “not a good time to go crab fishing.”
George Kelly can be reached at gkelly@sfstandard.com