Pacific tsunami warning

D

DeltaDawg

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I thought it odd they advised California and Alaska on the tsunami watch but then remembered studying wave propagation in ripple tanks in physics. An earthquake on the Pacific rim would be more like a wave point source and could propagate along the perimeter of the rim.

Pacific tsunami warning

http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/?region=0
 
NOAA weather radio VHF ch 4 from Mt Diablo is broadcasting a tsunami advisory for northern Calif counites and west delta. Expected arival time 1:26p PT height 2 feet. According to my Garmin MapSource high tide at Irish Landing tide station NE of Bethel Island is 4 feet at 4p.

Flutterby, I think our boats on Bethel Island should be okay at least these 2 points aren't right on top of each other in time. DD
 
No. a Tsunami Warning is not issued for anywhere on the California coastline at this time.

A Tsunami Advisory has been issued for the California coastline bays and estuaries, including the California Delta. There is a big difference between a warning and an advisory.

Message:
Actual
Sent: 10:55 PST on 2010-02-27
Event: Met: SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Levels: Future - Severe - Possible
Expires: 14:55 PST on 2010-02-27
From: NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Headline: A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM POINT ARENA TO POINT PIEDRAS BLANCAS
Description: AT THIS TIME WAVE HEIGHTS ARE FORECAST TO BE LOCALLY UP TO 3.3 FEET. TSUNAMI FORECASTS AT SELECTED POINTS - AS ISSUED BY THE THE TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER HALF MOON BAY 1.0M/3.3 FT SAN FRANCISCO 0.2M/0.7 FT FOR ARRIVAL TIMES AT ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS SEE WCATWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV
Instructions: PERSONS IN TSUNAMI ADVISORY AREAS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE WATER...OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF HARBORS AND MARINAS. TSUNAMI ADVISORIES MEAN THAT A TSUNAMI CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG CURRENTS OR WAVES DANGEROUS TO PERSONS IN OR VERY NEAR WATER IS IMMINENT OR EXPECTED. SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR AREAS IN AN ADVISORY. TSUNAMIS ARE A SERIES OF WAVES POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERAL HOURS AFTER INITIAL ARRIVAL TIME. ESTIMATED TIMES OF INITIAL WAVE ARRIVAL FOR SAN FRANCISCO IS 1:26 PM PST TODAY.
Target Area:
SAN FRANCISCO-COASTAL NORTH BAY... INCLUDING POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE-SAN FRANCISCO BAY SHORELINE-SAN FRANCISCO PENINSULA COAST-NORTHERN MONTEREY BAY-SOUTHERN MONTEREY BAY AND BIG SUR COAST-

Note: The San Francisco ETA is 1:26. If there are are sea level changes in the Delta they will come a little later.

The following changes in sea level are forecast as following and are measured in meters. The first two listed are very small

Sausalito 0.24 (9.4 inches)
Alameda 0.18 (7 inches)
Pacifica 0.67
Half Moon Bay 0.96
Rio Del Mar 1.00 (39.37 inches)
Santa Cruz 0.51
Monterey 0.45
Morro Bay 0.82 (32 inches)
Pt. San Luis 0.84
Pismo Beach 1.43
Surf 0.86
Naples 0.57
Santa Barbara 0.75
Malibu 1.02
Santa Monica 1.18
L.A. 0.77
Laguna Beach 0.90
La Jolla 0.84

I was thinking about going out to the boat on the Delta Loop to watch this. Nah, nothing is going to happen there.
 
I listened to VHF 4 again and they do say an "advisory" for the Carquinez Straight up to the Mother Lode and they still say up to 2 feet at SF at 1:26p so I corrected my message above to "advisory". I don't know the difference between an advisory and warning, in an advisory they say get out of the water and there can be fast moving currents. This is a fast moving, high energy wave that is propagating and it is not a ripple tank with a glass bottom and dampers on the side various effects can magnify or diminish the wave propagation the forecast models are probably good but if an advisory says get out of the water that is a good idea to me.
 
LOL Up to the Mother Lode???? It would have climb into the Sierra about 3000 ft from sea level to reach the Mother Lode. There are a few dams in the way.......

DD, my boat is on an Air Dock. If a wave came through which lifted that Air Dock 4-5 feet, my boat could get damage from the cross support beam between the roof and the water. I'm betting the energy will not be that strong by the time it gets to the east side of Bethel Island. And Franks Tract/Irish Landing will get a bigger effect.
 
A Tsunami Warning is issued when sea level changes of five feet or more are forecast. The Tsunami Advisory is issued for below that: in this instance the Northern California changes in sea level were forecast to be much lower. My Dad lived in Crescent City (nearly destroyed by a tsunami in 1964) for many years and I took university courses in physical geography so I'm up on the tsunami stuff.

I suspect the effects of this tsunami at my marina on the San Joaquin River will be a lot less noticeable than when two freighters pass each other in the shipping channel.
 
All this hype for nothing...

I was at Sugar Barge today enjoying a lunch with some friends during their motorhome gathering.

Since we were apparently all doomed, we hoisted a few cold ones in honor of all of the death and destruction that was heading our way. [:-angel]

Then we hoisted a few more... [:-drunk]

But nothing happened! No tidal wave, no tsunami, no deaths, no destruction, no nothing!!! [:-boring]

Well, we did have a little rain! But that was it!

Oh well, another uneventful day hanging out in the Delta! [:-bonc01]
 
BayAreaBoater, why don't you get an anchor and support this forum? I paid for a 2 year anchor last year. I am glad today was uneventful here and in the Pacific but I still think it was prudent to stay out of the water.
 
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