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High Surf — Southern Monterey Bay And Big Sur Coast, California

November 22, 2025 · NOAA Storm Events record

Direct deaths

Direct injuries

Property damage

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Area

Southern Monterey Bay And Big Sur Coast

Event narrative (NOAA)

A 35-year old man and two women were hit by a large wave on November 22. The two women were able to self-rescue, but the man was not. Just after 3 PM, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office and California State Parks launched a rescue effort for the man. Around 4:24 PM, a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter located what appeared to be a body in the water; however, due to dangerous surf conditions, visual contact was lost and the individual could not be relocated. Formal search operations were ended on November 26.

Other notable high surf events in California

Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore · July 14, 20104 killed Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore · January 3, 20213 killed North Coast Interior · June 7, 20043 killed San Francisco Peninsula Coast · December 3, 20072 killed Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes National Seashore · November 26, 20092 killed San Francisco · May 23, 20102 killed

Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.