by Brook Meakins

Did California just get a glimpse of what future sea level may look like? California experienced King Tides, especially high tides, during early February. The King Tides come three times a year, predicted because of the orbit and alignment of the Earth, sun, and moon. I was interested in tracking them because I am an advocate for low-lying islands and coastal communities, and I frequently write about issues facing these islanders from an eye-witness perspective. The timing of the latest King Tide in California turned out to be poignant, as the Solomon Islands experienced an earthquake and subsequent tsunami that took lives and again challenged the world to think about the way communities are shaped and sometimes traumatized by the water.

Islanders who live mere inches or feet above sea level tell horrific stories about the King Tides, which bring waves crashing over sea walls, flooding homes, and sometimes washing over entire islands. So for me, King Tides were the stuff of legends. To continue, click here.

King Tide at Salmon Creek: time lapse over the course of 1.5 hours

Taken by Steve Conwell

King Tide at Berkeley Marina: taken over the course of 7 hours (the King Tide is at 9:06 AM)

Taken by Steve Crawford

King Tide in Santa Cruz: taken over the course of 8.5 hours

Taken by Randy Takeshita

By Jared Whitlock

COAST CITIES — In the past, “king tides” have flooded beachside restaurants in Cardiff, flung rocks at coastal homes and submerged the San Elijo Lagoon.

But lifeguards aren’t expecting any damage on that level from the latest king tide event, Feb. 7 through Feb. 9.

King tides — tides several feet larger than normal that pound the beach — occur several times a year when the gravitational pull of the moon and sun are in alignment. According to Encinitas lifeguard Capt. Larry Giles, the king tides are particularly problematic if they overlap with big surf. Luckily, wave heights aren’t predicted to be larger than 3 to 4 feet Thursday and into the weekend.

“We’ll be watchful, but we’re not anticipating problems,” Giles said. “The lack of powerful surf helps a lot.”

Encinitas lifeguards shored up infrastructure during previous king tides. For instance, they placed sandbags on Cardiff State Beach to prevent flooding on Coast Highway 101, the Seaside Reef parking lot and for restaurants on that stretch. As Giles noted, despite the efforts, flooding was still an issue at times. To continue reading, click here.

Trying to find out the high tides in your area? Check out this handy map! If your neck of the woods is not on the map, check out this amazing NOAA Tide Predictions resource.

View California King Tides tide chart 2012-2013 in a larger map

South Coast

The January King Tides are occuring as a storm is reaching Southern California this year, which may increase the potential for coastal flooding.

• KSBW: King Tides to hit Southern California coast
• ABC10 News: Beachgoers head to coast to see extreme tides
• KLTA 5: King Tides threaten to flood coastal homes
• Daily Pilot: Newport anticipates higher tides
• Los Alamitos-Seal Beach Patch: King Tides gale-force winds, rain, trigger flood warning
• UT San Diego: Most extreme tides of the season–a great infographic series on what causes the King Tides!

Courtesy of Shaffer Grubb/U-T San Diego. Click on the diagram to see the rest of the infographics at U-T San Diego’s website

A huge thanks to the LA Waterkeeper and Coastkeeper Alliance for promoting the King Tides in Southern California this month!