Following A Volcanic Eruption, A Tsunami Advisory Has Been Issued For The Bay Area.

A tsunami advisory was issued along the West Coast, including areas of the Bay Area, on Saturday morning, with weather officials advising citizens to avoid coastal waters.

During the morning hours, the National Weather Service predicts up to two feet of flooding along Bay Area beaches and harbor areas, including San Francisco, Berkeley, and Santa Cruz.

Regional officials encouraged citizens not to travel near beaches, harbors, or piers, and the Berkeley Fire Department issued an evacuation order for the city's Marina neighborhood.

According to the National Weather Service, the tsunami waves will "arrive in pulses" throughout the day. The conditions were precipitated by a volcanic explosion on Tongatapu, Tonga's largest island, which saw its own strong tsunami waves early Saturday.

A high wave of nearly 7.93 feet hit Monterey Bay shortly after 8 a.m., a quick climb from tides of about half that length earlier in the morning.

#TsunamiAdvisory remains in effect for the #WestCoast, with peak tsunami wave heights of 1 to 2 feet possible. Main impacts expect to be strong rip currents, coastal flooding, and inundation of low lying areas is possible. Move to higher ground. #CAwx

— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) January 15, 2022

The San Francisco sky looks like lava right now. #sunsettwitter #TotalSF pic.twitter.com/taresjXUsp

— Heather Knight (@hknightsf) January 15, 2022

A National Weather Service meteorologist, Cynthia Palmer, compared the biggest wave in Monterey to a king tide, saying it swamped most of the beach when it hit. She warned that the waves could get even bigger later in the day and recommended people to stay away from the beaches.

"This isn't a one-and-done type of event," Palmer explained in an interview. "We anticipate that these conditions will remain for the majority of the day."

Following the meteorological service's notification early Saturday, the San Francisco Department of Emergency issued a warning to citizens to "self-evacuate" or phone 911 if they were near the coast.

"Avoid San Francisco beaches, harbor and marina docks, and piers until the city provides an official warning that it is safe to return," the department advised in an alert.

Meanwhile, the Berkeley Fire Department has ordered the mandatory evacuation of residents in or around the city's Marina neighborhood due to similar flooding risks.

Palmer stated that weather experts are looking to Hawaii and Alaska, which are slightly closer to Tongatapu, to predict peak wavelengths in the Bay Area.

The shock wave generated by the recent eruption of Hunga Tonga #volcano is even visible on satellite imagery. Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/5Hih2mPePs

— CyanideCN (@CyanideCN_) January 15, 2022

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About me: Clarisse La Grone is a born and raised San Francisco native who's been living in the beautiful Antioch region for the past 10 years. Her passion is finding new and interesting ways to enjoy the city and its surroundings. On weekends, you can find her curating events in the Bay Area with her partner, sampling food at new and unique restaurants, making homemade kombucha, or bowling with her friends. Clarisse also enjoys writing about local businesses and finding ways to help them grow and connect with the community at Antioch Aired.