Torrential surf possible at Sonoma Coast this weekend

With one high-surf advisory set to expire early Saturday, another extended period of torrential waves could return to the Sonoma County coastline early next week, bringing towering swells, rip currents and other hazards.

If weather models hold steady, the 24-hour surge could arrive as early as 2 a.m. Sunday and impact the Northern California coastline down to Monterey County, said Rick Canepa, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

It has the potential to be as strong or stronger than a high surf advisory activated between Friday morning and 6 a.m. Saturday for the same area, when the weather service warned of waves up to 25 feet tall that have the power to sweep people off jetties and rocks, Canepa said.

Though the weather service will likely have no surf advisory on the Sonoma Coast for the majority of Saturday, beachgoers still need to be vigilant, he said.

Powerful waves at Sonoma County’s Blind Beach on Sunday knocked a Petaluma man and his two young children into the water during a break in between high surf advisories. The man died and the two children are missing but presumed dead, officials have said.

“These are coming in with some lulls in between but really people should maintain vigilance at all times, just given how dangerous it is,” Canepa said. “Even if we don’t have an advisory, people shouldn’t let their guard down.”

Temperatures are expected to hover in the low 60s during the day and lower 30s at night this weekend, Canepa said.

Rain isn’t likely for Sonoma County for several days, though an overnight storm on Thursday dropped between 0.2 and 0.4 inch along the Highway 101 corridor locally, Canepa said.

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.