The Northwest Weather Service (NWS) issued a Gale Warning (a serious alert for strong storm-level winds at sea) on December 13. It covers ocean waters off the northern Oregon coast and southern Washington coast.

Affected area: The Pacific Ocean waters along the coast from Cape Shoalwater (near the southern Washington coast, just north of the Columbia River mouth) down to Cape Foulweather (near Depoe Bay on the central Oregon coast). This includes: Close to shore (out to about 10 nautical miles).
Farther offshore (10 to 60 nautical miles out).

Timing: Small Craft Advisory (caution for smaller boats): Starts tonight (December 14) around 7 PM and lasts through Sunday night (December 14) around 10 PM.
Gale Warning (more dangerous conditions): Kicks in Sunday night around 10 PM and continues until Monday afternoon (December 15) at 4 PM.

Expected conditions: During the Small Craft Advisory: Waves 6–9 feet high, combined with south winds blowing steadily at 17–29 mph (gusts up to 34 mph). This is rough enough to make boating tricky or unsafe for smaller vessels.

During the Gale Warning: Much worse – waves building to 13–18 feet tall, with strong south winds of 34–46 mph (gusts up to 57 mph). These are gale-force winds, creating very hazardous, choppy seas.

Why it’s dangerous: Strong winds and big waves can flip or damage boats (especially smaller ones), make steering nearly impossible, and drastically cut visibility due to spray and rough water. The NWS says these conditions are hazardous for most vessels – even experienced boaters should stay off the water if possible.