Be careful of big waves 10 to 15 feet coming into beaches near San Francisco and further south

If you are not used to what happens during winter storms here in this area in the Greater San Francisco Area, it's important not to get too close to the waves (even though they often are spectacular and beautiful so you don't wind up being a casualty from "sneaker" Waves. I think it's about every 7th big wave often is a sneaker wave that if you aren't watching can grab you and take you out to sea. This happens during big storms here with winds like are coming tomorrow and later this week. So, even though we aren't getting rain with the coming storm we are still getting wind and waves which can be very dangerous if you don't know what you are looking at or if you happen to look away (just for a moment from the size of the waves as they come crashing in.

Every year we lose people mostly tourists who don't have any idea what a big wave might do to them, especially when the water and wind and waves are as cold as they are right now. You could get hypothermia and be gone within about 10 minutes in the cold ocean water if you are grabbed by a wave and dragged out to sea in the present water and air and wind conditions this whole week anywhere near San Francisco.

So, be very vigilant and use your telephoto on your cameras or fingers to enlarge your photos on your smartphones so you don't die getting too close to the really big waves this week.

I have been standing on 3 or 4 foot high rocks and had waves come up to my waist and nearly got dragged out to sea myself.

Another time I was watching my dogs and the ocean came up to my waist and I thought I had lost my corgi but she was smart and ran up to the road long before I saw the sneaker wave. My then yellow Lab was struggling not to get drawn out and was struggling but survived it and so did I. But, I didn't see my corgi and thought I had lost her and only found her later up by the paved road far from the beach. She saw the wave and ran and survived.

So, learn to be vigilant and NEVER take your eyes off the surf if you are close to it this week if you want to survive it.