SAN FRANCISCO — Today might not be the best day to go surfing, tidepooling, or frolicking along the shoreline.

The National Weather Service has issued a warning to Northern Californians of potentially deadly “sneaker waves” reaching 13 to 18 feet in height along the coast until at least 10 p.m. Sunday. These waves get their name because they occur spontaneously during seemingly normal surf, when an offshore swell and coastal winds meet at the perfect intersection.

Westward facing beaches, like Ocean Beach, areas of Santa Cruz County, and peninsula towns like Pacifica are at higher risk of spotting them, officials warn. The NWS warns that sneaker waves can “run significantly farther up the beach” than typical waves, and that accompanying rip currents can appear, especially around piers, j

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