Humongous Waves Headed for Oregon Coast, Surf Advisory

Published 01/15/2016 at 5:53 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Oregon Coast) – This Martin Luther King Day holiday weekend is going to be full of awesome stormwatching along the Oregon coast, as hefty breakers more than 20 feet will be knocking things around. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Portland has issued a surf advisory based on this. (Photo above: big waves at Yachats).

Some sizable winds and soupy rains will be accompanying the show as well.

It's beautiful but it's dangerous, and the NWS said to keep off the beaches during the advisory, which is in effect from 10 a.m. on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.

“Seas will build to around 20 feet on Saturday, drop a couple of feet on Saturday evening then rise back to near 20 feet Sunday morning and 20 to 25 feet on Sunday afternoon, before subsiding below 20 feet late Sunday night,” the NWS said.

Large waves can wash over jetties and shoot up the beaches much higher than normal, the NWS said. They may also dislodge and move large logs and other debris on beaches that can easily injure beachgoers.

It's best to stay off the beaches during these times and watch from parking lots or other nearby viewing areas above the dune line. In rocky places like Yachats, Seal Rock or Depoe Bay, it is extremely dangerous near the surf line. But it will still be more spectacular in areas like this, and you can easily watch from high vantage points.

Saturday through Thursday also bring some fairly big winds to the coastline, with a short break on Monday. Rain and gusty winds from the south will fade by Saturday morning but reemerge on Sunday night, with both time periods looking at 20 to 30 mph and gusts as high as 50 mph.

Heavy rains will pile up between two to five inches, which may make your storm watching more fun from your car. Oregon Coast Lodgings for this event - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours

Recent storms have scoured out a lot of sand from many spots, leaving some major agate finds all over the Oregon coast. Some of the best are in Lincoln City, Arch Cape, just north of Cape Kiwanda and southern Rockaway Beach. When the surf has subsided you'll want to look for gravel beds at your favorite beach area. Numerous areas are reporting almost record hauls of the multi-colored keepsakes. See Agates on Oregon Coast Crazy Good; Erosion Changes Beaches

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