Dangerous 40-foot waves set to smash Northern California as surfers prep for epic winter swells

Surf’s up, big time.Bay Area shores are bracing for massive waves this weekend as storms from the Gulf of Alaska powered by this year’s “Super El Niño” send heavy rain and strong winds to the popular surfing hub.

Waves along the Northern California coast could reach 30 to 40 feet on Friday night through Saturday morning, the Chronicle reported — some of the biggest waves to hit the area in years.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story On Saturday morning, wave heights are expected to reach 20 to 30 feet between San Francisco and Crescent City, with individual waves reaching even higher heights.Similar wave events could follow in the coming week, according to Joe Merchant, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service who told the Chronicle that the swell will be “pretty problematic.”Rough seas will continue through Sunday, with another major swell possible as early as Monday.While officials are warning residents to steer clear of the water, and beaches altogether, the dangerous waves are likely to attract brave surfers in search of their next big thrill.

“I’m really excited to see what happens on Saturday because we don’t really know until the day comes,” surfer Bianca Valenti told KQED.“It doesn’t get this big very often.”The unusually large waves come as California battles a record-breaking El Niño season, causing water temperatures to rise and bringing powerful Kelvin waves to the state’s shores.

But surfers aren’t letting the dangerous conditions stop them, even as they battle unpredictable conditions.“You’re sitting in this spot and all of a sudden a wave will come out of somewhere different than expected,” professional surfer Peter Mel told KQED.“And that’s where I feel like the Kelvin wave has added its extra el...