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PACIFICA, CALIFORNIA–JAN. 20, 2019–The town of Pacifica, just south of San Francisco, is ground zero for the issue of coastal erosion. On Jan. 20-21, the combination of ocean surge and a king tide caused high waves. Some homes and apartment buildin

The National Weather Service is warning beachgoers along the Northern California coast to stay vigilant as dangerous sneaker waves and strong rip currents continue Monday, with an even larger swell expected Tuesday and Wednesday.   

A Beach Hazards Statement remains in effect through 8 p.m. Monday from the North Bay to Monterey County coastline, where the ocean will look deceptively calm but can produce sudden, powerful waves capable of sweeping people off rocks or beaches. Swimmers are urged to stay near lifeguards and never turn their back on the ocean.   

Forecasters say a long-period northwest swell arriving Tuesday could bring breaking waves of 15 to 20 feet, potentially prompting a High Surf Advisory. The conditions are expected to persist into midweek before calmer seas return briefly.   

Meanwhile, attention is shifting to the end of the week, when a significant storm system, possibly an atmospheric river, is expected to hit the Bay Area and Central Coast beginning Friday. The system could bring beneficial rainfall, gusty winds, and minor flooding, forecasters said, though exact impacts will be refined in the coming days.  

Warm and dry conditions will prevail through Tuesday before the weather pattern turns unsettled by the weekend, according to the NWS.

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