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Snap the Shore, See the Future: Take and Share King Tides Photos
 The next California King Tide Project dates are January 11 & 12, 2024 and February 9, 2024.
The California King Tides Project helps us visualize future sea level by observing the highest tides of today. You can help by taking and sharing photos of the shoreline during King Tides to create a record of changes to our coast and estuaries. www.coastal.ca.gov/kingtides/index.html
What are King Tides?
While the term "King Tide" isn't a scientific term, it is used to describe very high tides, caused when there is alignment of the gravitational pull between sun, moon, and Earth. When King Tides occur during floods or storms, water levels can rise higher and have the potential to cause great damage to the coastline and coastal property.
King Tides:
- occur naturally and regularly,
- are predictable and expected, and
- are not an everyday occurrence.
Watch a video from the Exploratorium explaining King Tides.
Take King Tide Photos
Use your smart phone or digital camera to participate in the Project by taking and uploading photos of king tides through the King Tides Photo Upload form. Start by choosing where you'll go to take your photos and then look at the tide map below to find out what time and how high your king tides will be. Take your photos as near to high tide time as you can. Your photos will be displayed on an interactive map. (If you'd like to share a video clip of king tides with us, please email kingtides@coastal.ca.gov for instructions.)
Some of the most powerful images are taken in areas that are subject to flooding and erosion, and of places where high water levels can be gauged against familiar landmarks (such as cliffs, rocks, roads, buildings, bridge supports, sea walls, staircases, and piers).
In addition to uploading your photos, you can also share them on social media using #kingtides. We'll be liking and sharing your posts throughout the King Tides season.
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Find your King Tide location on the map. If you have trouble viewing the map on this webpage, open it in a separate window. You can also check NOAA's Tides & Currents webpage directly to find additional tide information.
Depending on location, there may be relatively high tides a day before our statewide King Tides dates, or one of the King Tides dates may be significantly higher than others. In a few locations, tides on November 26-27, 2023 may be as high as those in January and February 2024. If you're flexible, try to photograph the tide on the day of your location's highest tide. Storm swells may increase water height on King Tides and non-King Tides days, so it's helpful to check swell forecasts. Focusing on our designated King Tides dates allows us to create a "snapshot" of the whole coast on the highest predicted water levels of the year.
* LEARN HOW TO UPLOAD YOUR KING TIDES PHOTOS *
To use the app: You can download a PDF of the instructions below, including screenshots of the app.
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How are King Tides photos used?
King Tides photos help:
- document current flood risk in coastal areas,
- visualize the impacts of future sea level rise in a community,
- ground-truth and validate climate change models by comparing model predictions with the high-tide reality,
- serve as a living record of change for future generations.
Photos may be used in presentations, exhibitions, websites and publications on sea level rise impacts, coastal initiatives, and climate action. Photos may also be used by government agencies for research and planning to assess where the coastline is most vulnerable, and by scientists to better predict future sea level rise. Teachers and students use these photos to learn about our coastal geography and the impacts of climate change.
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King Tides Resources for Educators
The California King Tides Project offers many opportunities for students and teachers in science and humanities. Please let us know how you engaged your students in king tides and any suggestions for how we can better support your efforts. www.coastal.ca.gov/kingtides/educators.html
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