


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Eureka, CA
Issued by NWS Eureka, CA
836 FXUS66 KEKA 170746 AFDEKA AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Eureka CA 1246 AM PDT Fri Oct 17 2025 .SYNOPSIS...Slight warming and drying will continue through Saturday with mostly clear skies. Cooler weather and very light coastal rain is expected Sunday with warmer weather again early next week. && .DISCUSSION...High pressure is continuing to gradually build over the area. This will allow for slight warming and drying to continue during the day friday with the hottest interior valleys reaching near 80. That said, dewpoints have stubbornly remained near 40, largely preventing overnight frost despite the increasingly long nights and clear skies. High pressure will allow promote a diurnal, coastal marine layer to at least briefly form Friday into Saturday. A weak upper level trough quickly move across the area on Sunday. This will pool in cooler and more moist air alongside midlevel clouds. Overall moisture advection will be weak, however, most likely supporting only very light rain right along the immediate coast. Most likely rain amounts are currently between 0.1 and 0.2 inches in Del Norte County with even 50% of models showing little more than drizzle there. Looking south closer to Humboldt Bay, less than 10% of models show any wetting rain. This forecast is a great decrease in precipitation potential even compared to the forecast just a couple of days ago. Weak high pressure and slight warming will most likely quickly reassert itself early next week, though low pressure passing to the southeast will limit the amount of warming with only a low chance (30%) of any highs even over 80. There is increasing confidence in long range forecasts that a significant rain event will impact the area late next week. Though high uncertainty remains, NBM already places a 95% chance of wetting rain all the way along the North Coast with an 80% chance of 3 day rainfall over 3 inches and a 40% chance of 3 day rainfall over 5 inches. Such an event would likely be accompanied by strong wind with such rainfall amounts capable of moderate flood impacts. /JHW && .AVIATION...VFR conditions with high clouds streaming southward at all TAFs terminals. Breezy offshore flow component over the exposed ridges have been developing this evening, especially in Del Norte County where gusts from 25 to 35 mph are likely over the higher terrain. This will yield clear skies along much the coast tonight and Friday. Friday evening, short-term guidances suggest low clouds developing around the Humboldt Bay and then expanding northward into Saturday. Surface winds becoming NW at 5-10 kt after 19Z along the coast, especially at KCEC where occasional higher gusts is possible. Light and variable winds will persist at UKI. /ZVS && .MARINE...Strong northerly winds across the outer waters tonight, while gentle to moderate breeze over the inner waters. However, light southerly reversal nearshore into Friday. Northerly winds are expected to push back closer to the coast Friday afternoon, with the strongest winds south of Cape Mendocino. Latest buoy observations report wind waves building to 6-8 feet this evening. These are expected to peak on Friday around 8-11 feet at 7- 9 seconds. A long period northwest swell arrive at 2-5 feet at 18-20 seconds Friday evening , and then peak to 8-10 feet at 16 seconds Saturday afternoon. Saturday night into Sunday morning there may be some brief southerly winds as a cold front swings through early Sunday, but most models keep the winds below 20 kt. Northerly winds are expected to quickly return Sunday afternoon or overnight. These are expected to increase to near gales or gales at some point on Monday. A larger long-period northwesterly swell of 14 to 19 feet is forecast to arrive on Sunday night, with possible breakers from 18 to 21 feet Sunday night and Monday morning./ZVS&MKK && .BEACH HAZARDS...A Beach Hazard Statement is in effect from Friday evening through Saturday evening. A long period westerly swell will arrive Friday evening at 2 to 3 feet at 20 seconds, and peak to 8 to 10 feet at 16 seconds Saturday afternoon. This high energy swell has the potential to bring moderate risk of sneaker waves, especially late afternoon/ early evening on Saturday. Shorter period NW swell of 5-8 ft at 7-9 seconds may initially mitigate the risk during the morning and afternoon hours on Saturday. Sneaker waves are a unique hazard, with many minutes between waves. Pay attention and stay above the high water line and any wet sand to stay safe. If the ground is wet, waves have surged there recently. Stay safe and never turn your back on the ocean! A potentially larger swell is then forecast to move in late Sunday through Monday./ZVS && .EKA WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CA... Beach Hazards Statement from this evening through Saturday evening for CAZ101-103-104-109. NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS... Small Craft Advisory until noon PDT Saturday for PZZ450-455. Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM PDT Saturday for PZZ470- 475. && $$ NOTE: The full forecast discussion is now regularly issued between 10 am/pm and 1 pm/am. Additional updates will be issued as needed. Visit us at https://www.weather.gov/eureka Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at: https://www.facebook.com/NWSEureka https://www.twitter.com/NWSEureka For forecast zone information see the forecast zone map online: https://www.weather.gov/images/eka/zonemap.png