HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — King tides are expected to hit the Southern California coast this weekend as some residents are still cleaning up from the New Year’s storm.
The city of Huntington Beach has been preparing for high tides expected Friday and Saturday morning. Some low-lying coastal areas could see flooding.
“We’re having lifeguards report early. We’re watching all these conditions as they’re happening,” said Huntington Beach Marine Safety Division Chief Trevor McDonald. “We’re communicating with public works, and essentially, we’ll be able to rebuild those berms as needed.”
Huntington Beach says the highest tides will be in the 7-foot range on Friday and Saturday with 2-3 ft. surf. The surf increases on Sunday to the 4 to 6 foot range.
For Monday and Tuesday, the extreme tides will moderate into the 6.3-foot and 5.7-foot range.
Additional lifeguard staff will be on duty through the weekend.
“You have the potential for strong surges that are pushing up past previous high tide lines, so you could see the surges, and as the water retreats back into the ocean, it can cause some hazardous areas,” said Huntington Beach Marine Safety Division Chief Trevor McDonald.
If you are heading to the beach this weekend, McDonald recommends checking in with a lifeguard.
Kings tides happen when there’s an alignment of the gravitation pull between the sun, moon and the Earth. They typically happen during winter have have the potential to cause damage to the coast.
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