The year’s highest tides, known as “king tides,” will hit California shorelines December 23 and 24 and again January 21 and 22, providing a glimpse of what to expect as sea levels rise.
“We’ve already started seeing how coastal communities are experiencing flooding more often than they were before and especially on sunny days, outside of storm events when tides are particularly high,” says UNC researcher Miyuki Hino.
Neighborhoods 20 miles inland are starting to feel the impact, as the Atlantic Ocean's higher elevation makes it harder for drainage canals to keep them dry.
