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Coastal Flood Advisory Issued as King Tides Return to Bay Area Through Jan. 4

Forecasters link the elevated tides to a rare lunar-solar alignment plus a nearby low-pressure system.

People walk on the sand at La Jolla Shores beach during a low king tide at sunset on Jan. 12, 2024 in San Diego, Calif.
A Port of San Francisco worker surveys a walkway at Pier 14 while placing cones to alert people of the flooding as the king tides arrive on Dec. 3, 2021. King tides are coming to the Bay Area this weekend, potentially raising the high tide to 8 feet.
A coastal flood advisory is in effect through Sunday afternoon for much of the Bay Area and Central Coast. Here, king tides flood a bike path in Mill Valley on Dec. 6. 
Forecasters said a rare alignment of astronomical tides and gusty winds could send seawater into streets, parks and other low-lying areas — especially during peak tides Friday and Saturday.

Overview

  • The National Weather Service advisory runs from 5 a.m. Wednesday through 2 p.m. Sunday for the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo shorelines, Monterey Bay, and the Pacific coast from Sonoma to Monterey.
  • Low‑lying shoreline areas could see up to 1.8 feet of inundation, with roughly 0.5 feet of storm surge possible during high tides.
  • At the San Francisco gauge, high tides are forecast to reach about 1.5 to 1.8 feet above normal on consecutive mornings from Wednesday through Sunday.
  • Wave heights are expected to approach about 15 feet by Friday, raising the risk of large splash‑over and hazardous surf, according to local forecasts.
  • Officials urge residents to protect flood‑prone property and warn drivers not to go around barricades or enter water of unknown depth, as periods of onshore wind and rain are also expected.