We've had more and more high surf warnings lately, but we haven't seen anything yet. Deep ocean waves are expected to hit the California coast in October. It's called a Kelvin wave, which can increase the height of the water by about a foot.
For a closer look, KCBS's Alisa Clancy talked with Michael McPhaden, Senior Oceanographer for NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Lab in Seattle.
Getty Images // Justin Bartels
Sep 19, 2026
