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King tides flood North Bay
The king tides are peaking this time of year. In Corte Madera, some garages were already inundated, while in Larkspur, water gushed into residential neighborhoods.
LARKSPUR, Calif. - King tides are increasing the risk of coastal flooding along Bay Area waterfronts on Friday, particularly in the North Bay.
A coastal flood warning remains in effect for the San Francisco Bay through 2 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters said up to 2.5 feet of inundation is possible in low-lying areas near shorelines.
North Bay communities see rising waters
Local perspective:
The king tides are peaking this time of year. In Corte Madera, some garages were already inundated, while in Larkspur, water gushed into residential neighborhoods.
Tide levels are expected to exceed seven feet, according to the National Weather Service.
"King tides, I get that, but we’ve never seen it like this. I mean, OMG," said Larkspur resident Courtney Mann.
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Emergency responders closed Lucky Drive in Larkspur shortly after 9 a.m. Friday, ahead of the peak high tide. In some areas, nearly 3 feet of standing water was reported. The flooding was worsened by recent rainfall that had already strained drainage systems and nearby rivers, leaving water with nowhere to go as tides rose.
"I think it’s pretty wild," Mann said as she moved her car away from flooded streets. "It’s worse than it was yesterday."
Rare tide levels expected
What they're saying:
Meteorologists said the high tide is expected to be about 2.5 feet higher than normal, a level that could be among the highest seen since 1998.
Another Larkspur resident, Julie, who asked that only her first name be used, said her garage was already flooded.
"I’ve been living here 10 years. This is worse than 10 years ago — this is a little deeper," she said. "I paddleboard down the street when it gets this bad."
Other residents echoed similar concerns, saying they were shocked by the flooding.
"I’ve never seen it like this. I literally fell — it’s dangerous," one resident said.
Marin County officials said Lucky Drive is a known low-lying flood area. Ahead of the high tides, crews cleared storm drains, issued countywide alerts, and made sandbags available to residents.
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King Tides prompt street flooding in Marin County
Seasonal king tides are bringing flooding to portions of Marin County, and the conditions are expected to last through the weekend.
Why king tides are so high
Dig deeper:
Meteorologists said this week’s king tides are being amplified by a supermoon and the alignment of the sun, Earth, and moon, which creates a strong gravitational pull and leads to higher-than-normal tide levels.
The Source: Information for this reports comes from the KTVU weather team and the National Weather Service.