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40 MPH Gusts, Sneaker Wave Warning Issued For Northern California Beaches

OCEAN BEACH (CBS SF) -- Winds gusting above 40 miles per hour and massive sneaker waves, significantly larger than the preceding swell are forecast to pound Northern California as a cold front roars in Christmas Eve.

The National Weather Service issued a "Beach Hazards" warning about the sneaker waves for Sonoma County through Monterey County, especially on west-facing beaches like Ocean Beach, from Wednesday morning till an hour after sunset, writing, "Conditions are present to support a heightened risk of unsuspecting beach goers being swept into the sea by a wave. People walking along the beach should never turn their back to the sea."

Wednesday Afternoon Forecast:

Winds are expected to pick up significantly over the afternoon too, with strong sustained winds, and then gusts to 40 miles per hour in higher elevations.

Elsewhere in the Sierra, winds will gust to 50 miles per hour over the summits, with up to 10 inches of snow possible by Christmas.

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