King tides cause flooding on U.S. coasts from California to the Carolinas

Elevated "king tides" this week have pushed seawater onto streets and into residences in beach towns along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, officials said. The tides, which coincide with a full moon, are amplified by atmospheric conditions such as high pressure over the Gulf of Mexico and low pressure over the Caribbean, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Chris Fisher in Miami. In California, a lingering super El Niño and a series of warm-water Kelvin waves have raised sea levels, explained Roger Gass of the Bay Area forecast office in Monterey.

In Huntington Beach, California, water reached knee-deep levels on the Pacific Coast Highway, prompting officials to close a portion of the four-lane road. Residents captured images of the flooding, and some reported water entering homes despite sandbag barriers.

Similar impacts were reported in Florida, where flood warnings covered much of the Atlantic coastline through early Friday. In Fort Lauderdale, attendees of a large boat show navigated flooded streets near marinas and hotels. Miami’s Virginia Key recorded its highest king tide in three decades, a level the National Weather Service noted was comparable only to those seen during hurricanes.

South Carolina’s coastal cities, including Charleston and Myrtle Beach, also experienced street flooding, and rip currents were forecast for the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The weather service indicated that most coastal flooding occurs within 1½ hours of peak high tides, which this week were up to 1.9 feet above normal in northern California.