Cosmic phenomenon: King tides returning to San Diego coastline
January's New Moon collides with perigee
Previous king tides are seen washing over a wall and into residential areas in Imperial Beach. (KSWB)
Testing widget old system
SAN DIEGO (KSWB) — The gravitational forces of the moon and the sun will, once again, draw in some of the highest tides of the year next week.
Expected to return to San Diego’s coastline on Thursday, Jan. 11 and Friday, Jan. 12, the first king tides of 2024 will be pulled inward with heights up to 7 feet, according to Sea Grant California.
This comes shortly after a period of high surf advisories, which prompted several coastal closures last week, as well as damage to local piers and other disruptions along local beaches. Large waves up to 12 feet tall, with sets up to 18 feet, pounded Southern California for days.
Unlike high surf, which is created as strong winds blow directly onshore, king tides are a result of how far away the Sun, Moon and Earth are from each other. It is Thursday’s New Moon phase as well as the exact placement of the moon in regards to Earth that causes king tides.
As explained by Sea Grant California, a New Moon occurs when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are near alignment (the moon is located between the Sun and Earth). This alignment causes an increase in the gravitational pull called spring tides.
Larger tidal events — king tides — occur when these spring tides occur at the same time as a perigee, or when the Moon is in its closest position to Earth. This only happens about three or four times a year.
Here are the tide tide predictions for Scripps Institution of Oceanography Pier in La Jolla for January 2023, according to Sea Grant California:
| Date | Day of Week | Time | Height (feet) | High or Low |
| 01/11/2024 | Thursday | 8:20 a.m. | 7.2 feet | High |
| 01/11/2024 | Thursday | 3:41 p.m. | -1.7 feet | Low |
| 01/12/2024 | Friday | 9:04 a.m. | 7.2 feet | High |
| 01/12/2024 | Friday | 4:21 p.m. | -1.7 feet | Low |
If you plan on visiting the coast, you might notice flooded parking lots in the mornings or exposed reefs or rocks in the afternoons, depending on the area.
For those who are interested in learning more about king tides, the San Diego Audubon Society will be hosting an event at the Kendall-Frost Marsh on Friday from 8-10 a.m. Attendees will get an overview of sea level rise, the birds that rely on disappearing marsh habitat, and tools for documenting or reporting king tides.
Looking beyond January, the cosmic phenomenon of king tides is expected again Feb. 9-10.
