Each year, the annual King Tides provide for a dramatic experience along our beaches. On November 15, 16, and 17 - and again from December 13-15 - we'll witness the highest and lowest tides of the year. On each morning, an almost 7 foot high tide will drown many of San Diego's beaches. It's the best preview we have of what a normal high tide will look like after 1-2 feet of sea level rise, which is expected in the next 30-50 years. In other words, King Tides allow us to visualize the future of our coastline. Read on to learn how YOU can help us document the phenomenon!
King Tides often produce flooding in low-lying areas near the coast. But the real danger comes when large surf coincides with these extra high tides, which is expected to occur more and more frequently due to climate change and rising seas. Case in point: we've experienced Winter coastal flooding and storm damage several times in the last couple years (January & December 2023, and again in early 2024). The past two seasons of high tide storm surge caused countless partial bluff collapses, knocked a pillar off the now permanently-closed Ocean Beach Pier, destroyed the Cardiff Reef parking lot, closed the Beacon's beach access trail for several months, and more. Will the trend continue this Winter? There's only one way to find out!
Either way, the King Tides provide a compelling visual treat at both high and low tide. Dramatic flooding aside, our hope is that if beachgoers see how rising seas will affect the beaches they love, they'll support proactive efforts to plan for it. We must urge our leaders to take sea level rise seriously, so that we can save as many beaches as possible.
The high tides are dramatic, but that's not all. As we approach sunset, the tides then recede to a negative low that reveals the widest, most walkable beaches of the year. If you love tidepooling or want to try it, then you won't want to miss this opportunity (more on that HERE).
Our Beach Preservation Committee documents the king tides each year at various San Diego County beaches in order to create a visual aid for coastal policymakers and the general public. We achieve this by enlisting willing volunteers to help us document both the high and low tides. Check out our compilation videos from earlier this year, and from 2022 (which also includes coastal flooding footage from "Big Friday," aka Jan 6 2023):
For the upcoming November dates, we would like to crowdsource both high and low tide video and photos of as many San Diego County beaches as possible. GoPro time lapses and drone videos are welcome, but most smartphones can capture compelling footage of the high tide, the low tide, or both.
Below are NOAA's predicted high and low tides for November 15, 16 , and 17. Please note these predictions are for La Jolla; exact timing and height of the tide extremes will differ slightly as you move up and down the coast. For more accurate predictions across the multiple San Diego locations and all of California, check out the interactive Google Map (also below).
Tide swings are gradual. If you're unable to observe and/or capture footage at the exact high or low tide time, that's OK. We suggest arrival within 30 min-1 hour of the stated high and low tide times at the beach site you choose to visit.
Check out these photos slides from an aerial king tide tour in 2021:
Ideally, you can capture both landscape and portrait video footage, plus a few photos. Here are some helpful guidelines to make the most of your documentation.
In addition to documenting videos and sharing with us, we encourage you to submit your photos to the California King Tides Project. The project is made possible by the California Coastal Commission and has similar goals as our own - to share images today of what our future coastline will look like. All submitted images are made public on their website. Plus, they make it relatively easy to upload. Their website also features great resources for educators!
King tides are, quite literally, a cosmic phenomenon. Our daily tide swings are caused by the gravitational pulls of the moon and the sun. They become strongest during a full and/or new moon, when the sun, moon, and Earth's orbits align. These larger tide swings, which typically occur twice a month, are referred to as 'spring tides.' However, when the moon is at its closest position to Earth (or "perigee") during a spring tide, it's called a 'perigean spring tide.' Technically speaking, what we casually refer to as annual king tides are, in fact, perigean spring tides. If you'd like to geek out on this even more, check out NOAA's website HERE.
*Source: NOAA