HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (KRON) — King Tides will bring extreme high and low tides to Bay Area beaches beginning Friday.
The highest astronomical tides of the year will rise to 6.7 feet in Half Moon Bay at 9 a.m., and dramatically drop to -1.5 feet at 4 p.m., according to Surfline.com
Like all tides, King Tides are predictable. King Tides will occur Dec. 3-5 of this year, and Jan. 1-3 in 2022, according to the California King Tide Project.
King Tides are a natural phenomenon that happen every year when the moon, Earth, and sun align to create the strongest gravitational pull.
“King Tides occur when tidal forces maximize as the moon, Earth, and sun come into alignment while the moon is nearest to the Earth and the Earth is nearest to the sun,” the National Weather Service wrote.
Stronger gravitational pull causes high tides to be 1-2 feet higher than normal high tides, and low tides to be 1-2 feet lower than usual low tides.
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood advisory Friday for low lying areas of the San Francisco Bay shoreline. The advisory will remain in effect through Sunday.
Very low tides perfect conditions for tide poolers. Previously-hidden habitats, along with the ocean creatures that live there, are exposed as ocean waters pull back. If you’ve ever wanted to find a sea star, walk along your local beach just before sunset.