Special Marine Warning Issued for Central California Coastal Waters Including Morro Bay and Point Sal

Source: NOAA · Central California Coastal Waters

This alert is no longer in effect.

NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).

Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Central California coastal waters due to severe thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts and 50-knot wind gusts.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Special Marine Warning
Affected area
Central California Coastal Waters
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Marine notices apply to named waters or shoreline zones. They may not describe conditions on land, even when the nearest place name is the same.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Central California Coastal Waters.

Special Marine Warning Issued for Central California Coastal Waters

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles/Oxnard CA has issued a Special Marine Warning for the coastal waters of Central California. The alert was triggered by radar-indicated severe thunderstorms moving through the region.

Affected Areas

The warning covers the following maritime zones:

  • Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal westward out to 10 NM
  • Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal from 10 to 60 NM
  • Waters from Pt. Sal to Santa Cruz Island CA and westward 60 nm, including San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands

Specific locations impacted include Point Arguello, Point Sal, Morro Bay, and Cambria.

What You Should Do

Mariners are advised to move to safe harbor immediately until the hazardous weather passes. Waterspouts can easily overturn boats and create locally hazardous seas. High winds can cause significant structural damage to vessels, and small craft could capsize in suddenly higher waves.

Expected Conditions

At 6:25 PM PST, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 16 nm northeast of Morro Bay to 49 nm west of Point Sal, moving east at 35 knots.

  • Hazards: Waterspouts, wind gusts in excess of 50 knots, and small hail.
  • Source: Radar-indicated.

Timeline

The warning is effective immediately as of 6:25 PM PST on February 17. The alert is currently scheduled to expire at 8:00 PM PST on February 17.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
The National Weather Service has issued a Special Marine Warning for Central California coastal waters due to severe thunderstorms capable of producing waterspouts and 50-knot wind gusts.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Central California Coastal Waters. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.