Boating safety ahead of extreme wet weather in Monterey County

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) -- With some wicked weather on the way, risks increase for people out on the ocean and even passing by. The atmospheric river not only can spell danger for those along the coast, but also for those surrounding it as well.

Strong winds, heavy rains and choppy waters along the Monterey Bay can make the area dangerous.

During the last few days, the U.S. Coast Guard has been involved in five emergency rescues along Bodega and Monterey bays.

Concern over more potential incidents grow as the early signs of winter weather kick in. One concern are mariners heading into the water ahead of a small craft advisory due to high winds.

“It's really important to pay attention to weather, to the tides, to what's going on on the bay. You really need to have a good pre-plan for going out there. You might have to cut your trip short or cancel them altogether because of that," Monterey Fire Assistant Fire Chief Patrick Moore said.

Another fear is losing people out on the coastline while they look out at the big surf coming in.

“People don't quite understand or don't have a good understanding how strong and unpredictable the ocean can be so they can get swept out," Asst. Fire Chief Moore said.

During these moments, Monterey Fire will team with the U.S. Coast Guard and lifeguards to make sure the person is found. Commander Andy Rosas oversees the Monterey County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team.

This volunteer-based team steps in to help during water rescues. These entities work together to make sure their rescues are successful even as unpredictability looms, both on the coast and inland.

“We just don't know what's going to happen. We don't know if the levees going to break again in Pajaro. We don't know if the Carmel river is going to flood," Cmdr. Rosas said.

The U.S. Coast Guard's website says that in a given year, they respond to more than 19,000 search and rescue missions.