UPDATE: High Winds Take Out At Least 3 Oregon Coast Parks, Surf Warnings Extended

Published 12/27/24 at 3:45 p.m.
By Andre' GW Hagestedt, Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Tillamook, Oregon) – UPDATE: AS OF 3 P.M. FRI., CAPE MEARES AND GEISEL ARE BACK OPEN - SHORE ACRES LIGHTS BACK ON TONIGHT. REST OF ORIGINAL ARTICLE BELOW

High winds gusts in excess of 70 mph in many places over Christmas Day took their toll on the Oregon coast, knocking out power for thousands all around the state, usually because of downed trees. It has closed at least four state parks on the coastline and caused a major festival cancellation for one night. (Above: Cape Meares, OPRD)

The wild weather continues as high winds will hit the south coast again tonight and waves up to 30 feet create an extended high surf warning that now runs through the weekend.

Cape Meares State Park is closed due to downed trees and as-yet-unspecified damage, along with Ecola State Park at Cannon Beach, Saddle Mountain near Seaside and Geisel Monument near Brookings.

“Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge and Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint will remain closed until further notice,” said the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Reserve. “This closure is due to downed trees from the recent storm event. The wildlife refuge and park will remain closed while clean up efforts take place.”

Courtesy Oregon Coast Wildlife Refuge

Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) said the four state parks were under emergency closures listed as of Thursday: there may be more announced.

Among the issues, OPRD said fallen trees are blocking the entrances at this time. There are photos of that here.

In the Coos Bay / Charleston / North Bend area, power outages have caused the cancellation tonight (Thursday) of Shore Acres Lights festival. As of 7 p.m., Pacific Power is reporting over 340 customers in the area without power. Some estimates for restoration are not available, but most so far range from “before 10 p.m." tonight to by 3 a.m. in the morning.

Shore Acres Lights (courtesy Oregon's Adventure Coast)

Is is not certain when power will be restored to Shore Acres State Park, but the visitor's center for the area is hopeful it will be back Friday. Check status here.

There is still a high surf advisory for the northern half of the Oregon coast and most of the Washington coast. However, on the southern Oregon coast, dangerous conditions remain and the high surf warning there has been extended into Sunday – two days beyond the original expiration date of Friday.

See  Oregon Coast Weather (including tides) - Inland Oregon Weather

This expires at 7 a.m. on Sunday, but until then the National Weather Service (NWS) is warning of waves 25 to 30 feet breaking onshore. They also have a very long timing period between swells, which brings more power to waves at times. It causes some sets of swells to combine and charge up the beach much faster and become even more powerful.

Expect “extremely large breaking waves” and hazardous conditions, the NWS said.

“Surf conditions will be occasionally worsened by high winds and seas as fronts pass each day through Sunday,” the NWS said.

There is also a high wind warning in effect for the south coast until 2 a.m. this morning.

“South winds 35 to 45 mph with gusts up to 70 mph,” the NWS said.

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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