Coastal Flood Warning issued for San Francisco Bay shoreline due to king tides, storm surge
By Tim Fang
A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect for the San Francisco Bay shoreline through Saturday as rain from the latest in a series of storms, along with the king tides, are expected to cause flooding in low-lying areas.
According to the National Weather Service, the warning is in effect for the shoreline, along with the interior valleys of the North Bay, from 7 a.m. Friday through Saturday at 2 p.m. Elsewhere in the region, a Coastal Flood Advisory remains in effect for coastal areas from Sonoma to Monterey counties through 2 p.m. Sunday.
“Significant coastal flooding expected due to high astronomical tides and storm surge. Up to 2.5 ft of inundation above ground level is possible in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways during the morning high tide Friday and Saturday,” the weather service said in a statement.
“Numerous roads will be closed. Low lying property including homes, businesses, and some critical infrastructure will be inundated. Some shoreline erosion will occur,” forecasters added.
At the San Francisco tidal gauge, forecasters said high tide at 9:34 a.m. is expected to be 2.2 feet above normal. On Saturday, high tide at 10:26 a.m. could reach 2.5 feet above normal, which has not been seen in the area since 1998, according to forecasters.
Sunday’s high tide at 11:18 a.m. could reach 1.9 feet above normal.
The king tides, among the highest of the year, are due to a confluence of multiple factors, including the full moon on Saturday along with Saturday’s perihelion, when the Earth’s orbit is the closest to the Sun.
Forecasters said the predictions include up to 1.3 feet of storm surge that will enhance the astronomical tide.
After a break in the rain Friday morning, a strong storm system is expected to bring rain and strong winds to the region beginning Friday night into Saturday morning.
Sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph are expected, with occasional gusts up to 50 mph along the coast and the higher terrain during the storm. Meanwhile, about ½ inch of rain is expected overnight, with up to 3 inches in the coastal mountains and closer to ¼ inch in rain-shadowed valleys, according to the weather service.
Due to the storm, a Wind Advisory has been issued for the North Bay mountains, San Francisco, East Bay hills, and the coast, along with all of Monterey and San Benito counties, which is in effect from 1 p.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday.
