Friday King Tides Arrive With Stormy Weather

Friday, January 2, and Saturday, January 3, 2026, will have the last king tides of this winter, and they’re set to coincide with some significant rainfall and southerly winds on Friday. The periodic king tides give municipalities an opportunity to prepare for the impact of local sea level rise. The California Coastal Commission is putting out the call once again for citizens to photograph their local shoreline and use their websites to share it with waterfront planning commissions. You can find out the exact time of high tide in your area here.

The Sausalito and Mill Valley shorelines were deep underwater during the first seasonal king tides earlier this month. Luckily, the weather was calm. When combined with storms, the added southerly winds and rain can cause an additional rise, wreaking havoc along the shoreline and breaking docks, dock lines and other waterfront infrastructure.

Given the weather forecast, it may not be a day for socializing, but there are community events planned on Friday in Watsonville and on Saturday in Shelter Cove (Humboldt County), Navarro Beach, American Canyon, San Rafael, San Francisco, Alameda, Oakland, Hayward, Watsonville, San Diego, and Imperial Beach. You can find these events here.

If you’re posting on social media, they ask you use the hashtag #KingTides.

King tides have nothing to do with sea level rise or climate change, but the California Coastal Commission says it allows us to experience a little of what higher sea level will be like. King tides are the highest predicted tides caused by the combined gravitational pull of the Earth, moon and sun, resulting in high tides about a foot or two higher than average.

Now is a good time to make sure your dock lines are secure and your boat is prepared for all winter storms, and to be aware that king tides may only add to the stress on the system and access to your boat!