# Tsunami Warning for SF Bay. But No Info on Web!? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 5, 2024, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216 "2024-12-05T18:57:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/1 "2024-12-05T18:57:14Z")
I live in San Francisco. My phone just shrieked with an emergency Tsunami warning following a 7.3. quake nearby. I live about 20 ft above sea level. Naturally I’m concerned. So I go online and search every local news site and emergency management site that I can think of. Nothing. Anywhere. WTF? maybe it’s up in the time it took me to post this. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/2 "2024-12-05T19:01:56Z")
Got an earthquake warning up here in Ashland Oregon too. Looks like is was a 7.0 off the coast south of Eureka. [https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?currentFeatureId=us7000nw7b&extent=34.09816,-127.8479&extent=43.00465,-122.20093](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?currentFeatureId=us7000nw7b&extent=34.09816,-127.8479&extent=43.00465,-122.20093) ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/3 "2024-12-05T19:03:04Z")
[URL=[tsunami san francisco warning - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=tsunami+san+francisco+warning&sca_esv=12f6b6e94d64277d&source=hp&ei=ItJRZ6DyHMCH0PEPt8b7uAU&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZ1HgMp-subc-HSw58-lrMclhXjhycKiS&ved=0ahUKEwigi5rlg5GKAxXAAzQIHTfjHlcQ4dUDCBo&uact=5&oq=tsunami+san+francisco+warning&gs_lp=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-lAI&sclient=gws-wiz) [/URL] ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/4 "2024-12-05T19:05:23Z")
Here’s the info about the earthquake: [https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000nw7b/executive](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000nw7b/executive) Here’s the info about the tsunami: [https://www.tsunami.gov](https://www.tsunami.gov) The tsunami warning area extends from Florence Oregon to Davenport California. San Francisco is near the south end of the warning area so it probably won’t be severely affected. I live on the coast 30 miles south of SF but am on a hill. Nevertheless I’m watching the ocean. I would expect the effects to arrive here around 11:50 to 11:30. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/5 "2024-12-05T19:05:46Z")
This is so maddening! What are we supposed to do? Do I need to run for the hills? At this point the warning is posted on a couple news sights but more like as an interesting factoid then a HEY! GET the FUCK out of DODGE! SF emergency management page? Nada. Federal USGS Quake sight? That reports the tsunami warning but nothing beyond saying there is a warning. Nothing on what to do… how to get more info. No emergency sirens. I’m kinda shocked. I mean yes, it could be already determined that there is no threat. BUT THEN YOU NEED TO SPLASH that info all over the web! And if it IS a threat right now, you damn well better splash THAT all over the web, too. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/6 "2024-12-05T19:07:43Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > San Francisco is near the south end of the warning area so it probably won’t be severely affected. And yet I, in San Francisco, received an ear-piercing emergency warning on my phone. I can’t just assume “Oh it’s fine. It’s up in Oregon”. I rely on authorities to disseminate information ASAP at times like this. Yet there is nothing other than the warning itself. ETA-- I withdraw my comment about SF’s placement in the warning zone. We’re on the southern end, not in the middle as I first said. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/7 "2024-12-05T19:11:45Z")
Yeah I got that warning too. I got one for the earthquake and one for the tsunami. The earthquake warning arrived a few minutes before I actually felt the shaking. I don’t think the “authorities” can accurately predict the wave height at any particular point on the coast. The tsunami sirens have not been sounded here either. If I lived 20 feet above sea level I might head uphill for an hour or two just to be safe. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/8 "2024-12-05T19:14:03Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > I live on the coast 30 miles south of SF but am on a hill. Nevertheless I’m watching the ocean. I would expect the effects to arrive here around 11:50 to 11:30. I live on the Bay not far from Pier 39. Do you think I will see much water activity in the actual Bay (rather than the ocean)? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/9 "2024-12-05T19:16:21Z")
I really don’t know. I’ve lived here for almost 30 years and this is the first time I’ve ever experienced a tsunami warning. I would expect the effects to be larger on the ocean side than on the Bay side. I certainly wouldn’t go down to the beach to see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/10 "2024-12-05T19:19:00Z")
SFGate Article, with maps and timing: [7.0 magnitude earthquake hits Northern California, tsunami warning issued](https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/earthquake-hits-northern-californi-tsunami-warning-19962096.php) Timing: Fort Bragg: 11:10 a.m. Crescent City: 11:20 a.m. San Francisco: 12:10 p.m ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/11 "2024-12-05T19:23:16Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > SFGate Article, with maps and timing: > [7.0 magnitude earthquake hits Northern California, tsunami warning issued](https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/earthquake-hits-northern-californi-tsunami-warning-19962096.php) Thank you. I can find plenty of news items about it now; my alarm was that there was no information anywhere in the first 5 minutes or so. A tsunami is just the sort of emergency that needs to be reported at least within 60 seconds on a government emergency management site. (NOTE: I misspelled ‘site’ a lot earlier. But I never post as fast and unrevised as I did for this thread) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/12 "2024-12-05T19:23:53Z")
Unfortunately there is an exceptionally high tide right now about 5.5 feet in SF, peaking at 12:05, just about when the tsunami is expected to arrive. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/13 "2024-12-05T19:28:35Z")
If you want to see what’s happening real time: [Point Arena cam](https://thesurfersview.com/live-cams/california/point-arena-webcam-and-surf-report/) [Crescent City cam](https://www.ccharbor.com/sunset-cam) ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/14 "2024-12-05T19:35:06Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > A tsunami is just the sort of emergency that needs to be reported at least within 60 seconds on a government emergency management site. I understand your sentiment and your alarm. However one has to be realistic. You DID receive a warning within minutes of the earthquake, on your phone. For a more detailed description of the risks and recommendations, an agency would have to analyze the seismic data, come to conclusions, and type the information into their web site. Is it realistic to expect that all to happen within 60 seconds? ETA I think the info on [tsunami.gov](http://tsunami.gov) was indeed posted within a very few minutes. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/15 "2024-12-05T19:41:13Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Is it realistic to expect that all to happen within 60 seconds? I mentioned government emergency management sites. They sure as hell better have a tsunami warning up within 60 seconds. Not any really information about it, just that there is one. Somebody declared a Tsunami warning and that fact can and should be disseminated immediately. You’re correct about it taking more time to get the details out. But when there’s a fire in a building you don’t take the time to research the details of it, you just pull the alarm. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/16 "2024-12-05T19:41:29Z")
I just got a more serious warning on my phone: > Tsunami Warning in effect, AVOID low-lying areas and beaches. Move to higher ground NOW! Tsunami expected around 1200pm. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/17 "2024-12-05T19:42:10Z")
I didn’t get that. Did you say you’re 30 miles south of SF? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/18 "2024-12-05T19:42:34Z")
Yes, near Half Moon Bay. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/19 "2024-12-05T19:44:04Z")
[Ocean Beach webcam](https://livebeachcam.net/san-francisco-ocean-beach-webcam/) (the west side of SF) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216/20 "2024-12-05T19:45:21Z")
Who is that idiot walking along the beach with a _surfboard?_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsunami-warning-for-sf-bay-but-no-info-on-web/1011216.md?page=2)