Skip to content

King tides rolling in along coast this weekend

The high tides are forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday; officials urge caution
20102009_web1_200110-SNM-M-KingTide2
Extreme high tides are in the forecast for this weekend. The District of Sooke is urging the public to use extra caution on beaches and shorelines. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)

Officials are urging the public to use extra caution on beaches and shorelines this weekend, as one of the biggest tides pulls water to its highest point.

King tide is a colloquial term for the highest tides. These kinds of tides happen due to extra gravitational forces on Earth’s oceans that are produced by specific alignments of the sun and the moon.

“Extreme high tides combined with surf may create hazardous conditions,” Norm McInnis, the District of Sooke’s chief administrative officer, stated in a press release Friday.

The king tides will occur at approximately noon from Jan. 10-12.

“The national park reserve does not encourage participation in any type of aquatic activities during this time period,” reads a statement on the Pacific Rim National Park Facebook page.

Shore users are advised to stay well back from the water’s edge especially along rocky shorelines or islands and during high tide when logs may roll on the beach or float in the surf.

Parks Canada reported that “very large wave conditions will create strong currents and shoreline flooding. Beaches can go from completely dry to several feet under water in only seconds. These surges can be powerful and unpredictable.”

“(People) are advised to avoid in-water activities. Shoreline users are advised to stay well back from the water’s edge especially along rocky shorelines or islands.”

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: editor@sookenewsmirror.com.



editor@sookenewsmirror.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter



Kevin Laird

About the Author: Kevin Laird

It's my passion to contribute to the well-being of the community by connecting people through the power of reliable news and storytelling.
Read more