Overview
- California’s highest tides of the year peaked Dec. 4–5, producing flooded roadways in Marin County and water overtopping parts of San Francisco’s Embarcadero, with another peak expected Jan. 2–3, 2026.
- The National Weather Service issued beach hazards and coastal advisories for dangerous rip currents and minor flooding, with high tides of 7.2–7.8 feet forecast for parts of Southern California and breaking waves up to 14 feet in the Bay Area.
- Western Washington is under advisories through Saturday, with tides projected up to 16 feet in Shelton and 12–13 feet in Seattle, and inland impacts expected Saturday morning across the North Sound and San Juan Islands.
- Lifeguards and harbor officials urged people to stay off slippery rocks, watch for sneaker waves, and plan surf entry and exit points, noting many rescues occur during peak high tide.
- Agencies are inviting residents to submit photos to the California King Tides Project and are hosting public programs to inform adaptation planning for projected sea-level rise of roughly a foot by 2050 and up to about 6.6 feet by 2100.