Sneaker Waves Pose Deadly Danger Along Pacific

As of October 22nd, 2025, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a series of weather alerts for nearly the entire western U.S. coastline. These alerts, which include small craft advisories, high surf warnings, and hazardous seas warnings, are in response to an impending atmospheric river system expected to hit the Pacific Northwest later this week.

While the current conditions are not directly caused by the atmospheric river, NWS meteorologists explain that both weather events are the result of a strong, westerly flow. The marine impacts, such as dangerous waves and swells, are being driven by steady winds that are causing waves to build and travel across the ocean.

Of particular concern are the warnings about "sneaker waves" - larger-than-normal swells that can strike suddenly and without warning, surging much further up the beach than prior waves. The NWS has cautioned that these sneaker waves have been responsible for numerous deaths in recent years, posing a greater threat than all other weather hazards combined along the West Coast.