When you receive our daily emails, you’ll notice we share the tide times at the top of the newsletter. Have you heard what an exceedingly high tide is called?
A king tide is a nonscientific term for Perigean spring tides — the highest tides that occur each year. The average high tide in Charleston is ~5.5 feet, but during a king tide event, the high tide can reach 7 feet or higher.
King tides happen when the moon is either new or full and is closest to the Earth in its monthly orbit.
Sometimes, the effects of a king tide can go unnoticed, but other times, they can cause or worsen flooding in low-lying areas. It can make things worse if these events happen at the same time as a storm. We saw this during Tropical Storm Idalia a couple of years ago.
The National Weather Service Forecast in Charleston has set these marks in place for flooding:
- Action stage — 6.5 feet
- Minor flooding — 7 feet
- Moderate flooding — 7.5 feet
- Major flooding — 8 feet
You can keep track of king tide events with the City of Charleston’s TideEye Tracker.
Predicted king tides in Charleston:
Saturday, April 26 to Tuesday, April 29
Sunday, May 25 to Tuesday, May 27
Tuesday, Oct. 7 to Saturday, Oct. 11
Tuesday, Nov. 4 to Sunday, Nov. 9
Wednesday, Dec. 3 to Saturday, Dec. 6
Get involved
The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control welcomes the community to capture these events while emphasizing the importance of avoiding hazardous situations, particularly during storms. If you experience the effects of a king tide, you can submit your pictures to their mobile app.
