UPDATED 12/13/20 — Unusually high tides, often referred to as king tides, are back today and tomorrow, and the National Weather Service has issued a high surf warning through Monday, December 14. The largest breaking waves are anticipated to arrive tonight, Sunday evening, and high tides will occur Sunday and Monday morning around 10 a.m.
The California King Tides Project is documenting the high surf, and you can find more details about their project below.Please take precautions if you are near the shore, and do not turn your back on the ocean, as there is an increased risk of dangerous high surf, and the most recent king tides resulted in several fatal accidents or emergency rescues.
In addition, a series of winter storms has brought significantly rain to the North Coast, including snow accumulating at higher elevations, and a winter weather advisory is in effect for parts of Trinity County. There is a risk of increased flooding, especially in burn scar areas, so please take precautions on the roads.
MENDOCINO CO., 11/12/12 — King tides, unusually high tides that roll in a few times a year, will be returning to the Northern California coast this weekend, and the National Weather Service is also forecasting significant rains across the North Coast on and off through Sunday, as well as high winds along ridges, possible snow in Trinity County, and high surf.
The first significant winter storm is expected to potentially produce inches of precipitation in some places, which could lead to slick roads and flooding, particularly in recent burn scar areas such as the Oak Fire and the August Complex.
The rain is expected to begin early Friday in Mendocino County, with a break on Friday evening, and then more rain anticipated Saturday through Sunday. The king tides will occur on November 15 and 16, and the King Tides Project will be collecting photographs from along the Pacific Coast.
There will be a gale winds warning in effect from NWS beginning on Friday, and there is also high wind warning for much of the western portion of Humboldt County, and a winter weather warning for parts of Humboldt and Trinity counties. The specific forecast for your location can be found at the NWS website.
King tides will be occurring this weekend, and then again from December 13 through 15, and the California King Tides Project will be collecting photos from around the state. Here’s more information about king tides and project, below, including how to submit photographs — although make sure you take safety precautions along the shore over the next few days.
San Francisco, Calif. – The year’s highest tides, known as “king tides,” will hit California shorelines November 15 and 16 and again December 13, 14, and 15, providing a glimpse of what to expect as sea levels rise. Northern California will see an additional king tide January 11 and 12.
The public is asked to safely photograph the shoreline during king tides as part of an international community science project. King tides are one to two feet higher than an average tide, which corresponds to the rise in sea level expected during the next few decades. Photographing the impact of these highest high tides on beaches, roads, harbors, homes, and wetlands helps raise awareness of climate change and helps California plan for a future when today’s king tide is an everyday occurrence.
Anyone with a smartphone can contribute to the California King Tides Project. By sharing what they see, participants will help others understand that they’re part of a community that cares about climate change. King tide photos are used by state and local officials as well as climate change researchers to validate sea level rise models and better assess local flood vulnerabilities.
Sea level rise is caused by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. In simple terms, carbon dioxide in our atmosphere acts like a blanket, trapping in heat that would otherwise escape. When we burn fossil fuels, we’re adding more carbon dioxide, thickening the “blanket” and heating the land, air, and ocean. Sea level is rising because land-based glaciers and ice sheets are melting into the ocean, and because water expands in volume when it warms. The amount of sea level rise that we will ultimately experience will depend on how quickly we stop burning fossil fuels.
Recent California initiatives to reduce climate change include a requirement that all new passenger vehicles to be zero-emission by 2035, and a goal to conserve 30 percent of the state’s land and coastal water by 2030while using strategies to store carbon in natural and working lands.
To learn how to submit photos to the California King Tides Project visit california.kingtides.net, which also includes past king tides photos, local king tide times, and resources for educators teaching about climate change.
Engage on social media with #KingTides:
facebook: cakingtides ● twitter: CA_king_tides ● Instagram: californiakingtides