King tides that reached as high as 7.4 feet flooded buildings along and near Mission Beach’s Bayside Walk Monday night — a rare occurrence during summer. And more flooding is expected.
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King tides, which are exceptionally high, are forecast to reach another 6 to 7 feet Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service in San Diego. A beach hazard notice has been extended another night.
Meteorologist Sebastian Westerink said this is “definitely atypical for summer,” as the most common months for king tides are in December and early January, when the Earth is closer to the sun.
He said the average elevation for a king tide is about 4 to 5 feet.
Mission Beach’s Bayside Walk saw at least 4 inches of water Monday night, after the tide’s peak around 9 p.m., according to Mission Beach Town Council President Larry Webb.
Webb saw the tides roll in on cameras set outside the Mission Beach Women’s Club, which his wife manages, located along the bay walk. He said he went over around 8:30 p.m. to start sweeping water from the patio and building, which got about 2 inches of water.
Neighbors who were vacation renters from Arizona helped Webb clear the water. They were successful shortly after 10 p.m.
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“It was awesome. There would’ve been a lot more damage suffered inside the building had these people not volunteered to help,” Webb said.
Different from the usual tides, these much larger tides — both low and high — happen when there’s a full or new moon, Westerink said, which causes a greater gravitational push and pull than usual. These moons happen when the Earth, moon and sun align, according to Sea Grant California.
This week’s king tides can be attributed to a new moon phase.
In preparation for the tides, the city posted warning signs and tips to plan accordingly on social media Friday. Webb said there was a barrier, usually made of compacted soil or sand, that protected a pump station on Santa Clara Place, but it channeled the water to nearby roads and property. City spokesperson Caleb Olsen could not confirm if the barrier was placed in preparation for the tides or if it’s permanent.
In the winter months, when king tides are more common, Olsen said the city places a barrier around the entirety of the bay. He said the barrier is taken down at the same time every year and not put up during the summer since it isn’t as common.
Tuesday’s tide is forecast to reach above 7 feet in elevation. Webb said a flood mediation team placed sandbags in front of the Mission Beach Women’s Club Tuesday and plans to be on standby after 8 p.m. to keep the property safe.
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