Surf's UP: King Tides

Eric Gross, ACSC Webmaster

Alameda Beach, by Eric Gross

When the moon and stars perfectly align, you get some pretty spectacular things happening. Usually a solar or lunar eclipse, but if you're in the right spot at just the right time you get... a glimpse of the future.

Well a glimpse of the future if sea levels continue to rise at their current rate. For 2019 that time is Sunday January 20th at 10:30am & Monday at 11:30am. The Sun, the Earth and the Moon raise tidal bulges on the Earth's oceans. When all are in line (such as a Full Moon or New Moon), the gravitational forces combine creating a high tide called a Spring Tide. In January however, the Earth is at its closest point to the Sun and as such has it's greatest gravitational force. January 21st, we will experience a Full Moon that is also at a moment of the moon's orbit when it is closest to the earth (known as a supermoon). So all these factors combines for the greatest gravitational pull that we will see all year. The tide created by this force is called the King tide.

​These highest of high tides, will no doubt bring some flooding. And that's where the glimpse of the future comes in. Lest we curb the rising sea levels, scientists expect such flooding will be common place in the next 30 years. One project, the California King Tides Project hopes to help people visualize these future sea levels by observing these King Tides today. People throughout California are submitting photos to their interactive map. If you want to help them out, check your area for peak tides and submit your photos to the site. If you've got any good photographs of our Bay Area you'd like to share, feel free to send them to yours truly at [email protected] or post them on our facebook page.