Weather Experts Warn About High Sneaker Wave Season

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HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Ca. (KIEM) – Heading into the spring season, there is a high threat for sneaker waves! With some colleges already on spring break, what’s a better way to spend your vacation then heading to the beach? But weather experts say to never turn your let your eyes deceive you.

“We’re heading into sneaker wave season right now,” says Troy Nicholini, head Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Eureka.

“The weather can be nice at the coast but the wave conditions and such that period of calm followed by a larger wave can occur and in some ways this is the most dangerous time of the year.”

Spring time is peak sneaker wave season.

“We’re looking at waves coming in this afternoon that will have set behaviors,” said Nicholini, “that means there can be periods of calm waves, followed by larger waves and those waves can catch people off guard.”

Weather experts are warning beach goers, don’t let the ocean fool you.

“We trust our eyes a lot, which is appropriate in many cases,” said Nicholini. “You don’t cross a busy road until you make sure it’s clear of cars. We grow up accustomed to trusting our eyes.”

The National Weather Service says, sneaker waves can be up to six to eight feet high, with most sneaker wave deaths happening around seven to eight feet.

“It doesn’t take much to get you in trouble, it’s more about the fact that wave is catching you off guard,” said. Nicholini.

“On average though we do tend to loose somebody every year to beach fatality in the region.”

The best way to avoid sneakers waves is to stay out and away from the water. But if you do decide to venture out onto the ocean. It’s best you take a life jacket with you, so that you can stand a chance against the waters.

According to the National Weather Service from now through late summer, we can expect to see more sneaker waves.

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