A second round of king tides land this weekend, with high tides nearing 7 feet. The National Weather Service has issued warnings for low-lying areas along Orange and Los Angeles counties through Monday morning.
“The morning high tides could result in minor tidal overflow, bringing some ponding of sea water to vulnerable areas, including parking lots at low-lying beach areas,” a coastal hazard advisory says.
The good news is the surf will be small, unlike a week ago when high tide and big surf combined to cause damage along the coast.
Significant damage to roads or structures is not expected, National Weather Service officials said.
The morning high tides are expected to hit 6.96 feet around 8 a.m. on Saturday and 6.93 feet at about 8:50 a.m. on Sunday. On the flip side, extreme low tides will see the ocean recede to negative levels in the afternoon hours, leaving more sand space and a great opportunity to explore tide pools throughout the region.
Trouble areas during high tide this weekend could include Surfside and Sunset Beach, Newport Beach, the Malibu coast and Los Angeles County beaches, the National Weather Service warned.
A parade of storms, a big westerly swell and higher tide events already caused problems at several beaches in recent weeks.
The road and a restroom building continue to be a concern at Point Dume, as well as a landslide area below Palos Verdes Estates, and crews will be closely monitoring things this weekend, said Nicole Mooradian, spokesperson for Los Angeles County Department of Beaches & Harbors.
Beachgoers should be mindful of sharp drop-offs at the tideline due to sand erosion and check where the nearest open lifeguard tower is, because some have been moved to protect them from flooding, Mooradian noted.
The Roundhouse Aquarium is hosting a “King Tide Watch” at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, to “help community and climate scientists document the natural phenomenon.”
The idea is to capture photos of the ocean’s tide at the “precise moment of the most intense gravitational force on the ocean,” organizers said. Discussions about the relationship between sea level rise and climate change will take place.
The gathering is part of a larger effort called the California King Tides Project to document the impact of the higher tides on the coastline.
King tides refer to the year’s highest tides in winter months, which are a natural, predictable phenomenon that pushes tides one to two feet higher than an average high tide.
Scientists predict this will be what daily tides are like in the next few decades because of sea level rise.
“Photographing these extreme high tides brings attention to the impact of climate change and helps California plan for a future when today’s king tide is an everyday occurrence,” the California King Tides Project said in an announcement.
The project encourages citizen scientists to get involved and says their photos are used by state and local officials, as well as climate change researchers, to validate sea level rise models and assess local flood vulnerabilities.
For past king tides photos, information on how to upload your own photos, local king tide times, local community events and resources for educators teaching about climate change, go to coastal.ca.gov/kingtides.
Source: Orange County Register
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