King tides break records on both US coasts

King tides have inundated coastal communities across the United States, pushing seawater into streets, homes, and businesses in California, Florida, and the Carolinas. The high water levels began with the full moon earlier this week and are expected to persist through the weekend, according to forecasters. These events occur when the gravitational pull of the Earth, moon, and sun aligns to create unusually high tides, a phenomenon that can happen several times a year.

Meteorologists identified specific weather patterns that amplified this week's flooding. In Florida, Chris Fisher, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Miami, cited strong high pressure to the north and low pressure over the Caribbean as drivers for increased swells. Along the California coast, Roger Gass, a meteorologist with the weather service's Bay Area forecast office, pointed to the ongoing super El Niño. Gass explained that the El Niño has warmed the ocean, increasing the volume of seawater. He also noted the presence of Kelvin waves, which are pulses of warm water that lift sea levels.

Residents in Southern California faced water levels that reached knee-deep depths on the Pacific Coast Highway. Stacey Frederick, a 38-year-old resident of Huntington Beach, documented people walking through the water and paddleboarding near her workplace. Officials closed a section of the four-lane highway to traffic. Frederick, who has lived in the area for five years, stated that while minor flooding is common, the extent of this event was unusual. She said, “It floods a little bit, but never to this point.”

The National Weather Service reported that record high tides were set this week in Santa Barbara, San Pedro, San Diego, and La Jolla. In Sunset Beach, Lorraine Friedman, 75, found that seawater washed over three layers of sandbags protecting her garage and patio. Friedman has lived in the community for nearly 30 years and noted that her apartment had only flooded once before, about 20 years ago. She told reporters on Wednesday, “This is the second day I’ve been flooded, two days, and tomorrow I’ll get flooded again.”

In Northern California, the weather service predicted minor flooding in low-lying shoreline areas through Saturday. Gass said coastal flooding generally occurs within 1.5 hours before and after high tides. He reported that water levels in Northern California are peaking 1.9 feet above normal. Forecasters indicated that tides in this region could remain elevated into the weekend.

Florida’s Atlantic coast remained under flood warnings through early Friday. Street flooding was reported in South Carolina coastal cities, including Charleston and Myrtle Beach. Rip currents were possible as far north as North Carolina's Outer Banks. Fisher described the conditions as a rough week for beachgoers, citing high surf and a high risk of rip currents. He advised people to stay out of the water and away from the beaches through the weekend.

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, access to the world’s largest-in-water boat show was complicated by flooded streets near marinas and hotels. Virginia Key, a barrier island in Miami, recorded its highest king tide and the third-highest water level in three decades of records. Fisher said the only times water levels have been higher during hurricanes. He called the current conditions historical from a king tide perspective.