Weatherboy

Weatherboy Weather News, Maps, RADAR, Satellite, and Forecasts.

Tsunami Advisory Issued for Entire U.S. West Coast

by -

A Tsunami Advisory is now in effect for the orange area which includes the Alaskan coast, the coast of British Columbia, Canada, the entire U.S. West Coast, and Hawaii. Image: NWS Tsunami Warning Center
A Tsunami Advisory is now in effect for the orange area which includes the Alaskan coast, the coast of British Columbia, Canada, the entire U.S. West Coast, and Hawaii. Image: NWS Tsunami Warning Center



The National Weather Service National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC)  in Palmer, Alaska has just issued a Tsunami Advisory for the entire U.S. West Coast, British Columbia, Canada, and for most of the Alaska coast. A massive explosive eruption of a volcano in the Tonga Islands has triggered a tsunami threat across the Pacific Ocean.

According to the NTWC, actions to protect human life and property will vary within tsunami advisory areas. They advise that if you’re in a Tsunami Advisory area, you should immediately:

  • *Move out of the water, off the beach, and away from harbors, marinas, breakwaters, bays and inlets.
  • *Be alert to and follow instructions from your local emergency officials because they may have more detailed or specific information for your location.
  • *Boat operators, where time and conditions permit, move your boat out to sea to a depth of at least 180 feet.
  • *Boat operators, if at sea, avoid entering shallow water, harbors, marinas, bays, and inlets to avoid floating and submerged debris and strong currents.
  • *Do not go to the shore to observe the tsunami.
  • *Do not return to the coast until local emergency officials indicate it is safe to do so.

The NTWC says many things are possible within the Tsunami Advisory area:

  • *A tsunami with strong waves and currents is possible.
  • * Waves and currents can drown or injure people who are in the water.
  • * Currents at beaches and in harbors, marinas, bays, and inlets may be especially dangerous.
  • * Some impacts may continue for many hours to days after arrival of the first wave.
  • * The first wave may not be the largest so later waves may be larger.
  • * Each wave may last 5 to 45 minutes as a wave encroaches and recedes.
  • * Coasts facing all directions are threatened because the waves can wrap around islands and headlands and into bays.
  • * A rapidly receding or receded shoreline, unusual waves and sounds, and strong currents are signs of a tsunami.
  • * The tsunami may appear as water moving rapidly out to sea, a gentle rising tide like flood with no breaking wave, as a series of breaking waves, or a frothy wall of water.




The massive volcanic blast was seen by weather satellites in space. Image: NOAA
The massive volcanic blast was seen by weather satellites in space. Image: NOAA

Right now, the start of tsunami is expected to occur at these times:

ALASKA
Adak 0600 AKST Jan 15
Shemya 0615 AKST Jan 15
Unalaska 0650 AKST Jan 15
Sand Point 0710 AKST Jan 15
Saint Paul 0735 AKST Jan 15
Cold Bay 0745 AKST Jan 15
Kodiak 0750 AKST Jan 15
Sitka 0755 AKST Jan 15
Elfin Cove 0755 AKST Jan 15
Seward 0815 AKST Jan 15
Yakutat 0815 AKST Jan 15
Valdez 0830 AKST Jan 15
Craig 0835 AKST Jan 15
Cordova 0840 AKST Jan 15
Homer 0905 AKST Jan 15

CALIFORNIA
Fort Bragg 0735 PST Jan 15
Monterey 0735 PST Jan 15
Port San Luis 0740 PST Jan 15
Santa Barbara 0745 PST Jan 15
La Jolla 0750 PST Jan 15
Los Angeles Harb 0750 PST Jan 15
Newport Beach 0755 PST Jan 15
Oceanside 0755 PST Jan 15
Crescent City 0800 PST Jan 15
San Francisco 0810 PST Jan 15

OREGON
Port Orford 0755 PST Jan 15
Brookings 0800 PST Jan 15
Charleston 0810 PST Jan 15
Newport 0830 PST Jan 15
Seaside 0845 PST Jan 15

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Langara 0830 PST Jan 15
Tofino 0850 PST Jan 15

WASHINGTON
Long Beach 0835 PST Jan 15
La Push 0845 PST Jan 15
Neah Bay 0850 PST Jan 15
Westport 0850 PST Jan 15
Moclips 0855 PST Jan 15
Port Angeles 0930 PST Jan 15
Port Townsend 0955 PST Jan 15

 

This tsunami activity is being triggered by a violent, explosive volcanic event that unfolded last night in Tonga. The gigantic blast, which occured in the Pacific Ocean about 1,300 miles northeast of  New Zealand and  2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii, was so loud its roar was heard across portions of New Zealand. Fiji, which is located more than 500 miles away, reported “loud thunder sounds” as the explosive volcanic eruption unfolded.




The volcanic eruption hit at roughly 5:27 pm local time. The volcano is located 40 miles south of the capital city of Tonga, Nuku’alofa.