Dangerous waves are pounding the Bay Area coastline as a series of storms pass through the region.
The National Weather Service has issued coastal flooding and high surf warnings for the coastline from Point Reyes all the way south to Big Sur. These warnings are in place until noon Tuesday.
The NWS is warning about the risk of large, dangerous waves in those areas between 30 and 35 feet and up to 40 feet in some spots like Mavericks in Half Moon Bay.
Just outside Mavericks, dozens of people headed out to the coast Sunday for a chance to witness these notable waves.
"We just had a notification saying the waves were really big, so we rushed out and drove out here right away," said 17-year-old Maria Ketzler, who is visiting from Florida with her family.
Piper Vogt of Santa Cruz also took an out-of-town visitor to Half Moon Bay to look at the waves. She described Sunday's waves as "not as big as I’ve seen them, but they’re still pretty big."
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"I mean, all up the coast, it’s been huge today. It’s been fun to watch," Vogt said.
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Andy Nam of Los Angeles went to Pillar Point with several friends to watch the waves and said their GPS showed a coastal flooding alert when they started driving.
"When we punched it into the map, I saw it pop up really quick," he noted.
The waves are captivating to look at, but it's important to remember to keep your distance. The NWS said the public should stay out of the water and avoid any jetties, piers or beachside infrastructure.
"The waves look a bit turbulent, also, would not go into the water today," said Adam Lee of San Jose, who was visiting the beach with Nam's group.
Coastal communities around the Bay Area are warned they could also see flooding. People who live there are urged to take precautions and to not drive through standing water.
In San Mateo County, residents can get free sandbags through their city or the county.
