Here's why a tsunami warning was sent

History of powerful tsunamis on the Northern California coast
The Pacific West Coast has the highest risk levels of tsunamis in the United States. Here’s where they have stuck in Northern California.
Here's why a tsunami warning was sent after the 7.0 earthquake in Northern California
A tsunami warning for the Bay Area after the earthquake in Northern California might have come as a surprise. Here's why it was sent.
Why Didn’t California’s 7.0 Earthquake Cause a Tsunami?
On December 5, authorities alerted the public of a potential tsunami from a 7.0 earthquake in the waters of Northern California. But why didn't it happen?
What to know about Northern California’s rare tsunami warning
The National Weather Service in Monterey said Thursday's tsunami alert prompted “questions, frustration, and even some anger."
The California tsunami danger is real. The 7.0 earthquake is wake-up call to prepare
Onlookers gaze out to sea at the Sutro Baths overlook in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2025. A tsunami warning was issued after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of the Humboldt Peninsula on Thursday morning, but it was later canceled. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group/TNS)
7.0 Quake Rattles Northern California, Prompting a Brief Tsunami Warning
Yet despite the earthquake’s intensity — a magnitude of 7.0, according to the U.S. Geological Survey — the shaking caused little damage because of its remote epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, 200 miles north of San Francisco Bay. The tsunami warnings were canceled about an hour after they were issued.
7.0 magnitude earthquake reported off Northern California coast, tsunami warning canceled
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake was reported in northern California on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Northern California coastal evacuations lifted after quake prompts tsunami warning
A tsunami warning for the Northern California coast prompted by a major earthquake that struck in the ocean off Humboldt County Thursday morning has been lifted, officials said.
Tsunami warning canceled after major earthquake in Northern California
EUREKA, Calif. — Evacuation orders have been issued after a preliminary magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Humboldt County Thursday morning, leading to a tsunami warning.
Are you at risk of tsunami flooding in California? Check these maps
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A ‘non-destructive’ tsunami was spotted after California’s earthquake. Simulations show the dangers of a real one
The 7.0 earthquake earlier this month led to a tsunami warning that was quickly canceled by forecasters but officials have ...
The California earthquake was a reminder of an even bigger tsunami risk
A 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit off the Northern California coast didn’t produce a significant tsunami, but it struck a ...
California’s tsunami alert was a mess for many. Here’s why
The tsunami warning that came screaming through my cell phone at 10:51 a.m. was blunt: "You are in danger." The warning ...