A King Tide Will Hit Metro Vancouver On A Daily Basis This Week – El Niño To Blame
A “king tide” will be hitting Metro Vancouver shores on a daily basis this week.
If you don’t know what a king tide is, well, it’s more than the normal average tide, it’s like a tide “on steroids” as The Weather Network explains.
The highest tides ever recorded in Vancouver were 5.61 m and in Victoria, 3.71 m.
“These are important numbers, but it also illustrates how these records are in jeopardy every single year. For example, the highest tide possible for Vancouver is approximately 5.0 meters during a king tide event, which would require only a 0.6-meter surge to coincide during a king high tide to break the previous all-time record,” the Weather Network notes.
How do king tides work?
King tides work just like the regular ones do. These are controlled by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. The sea level comes in much higher when this is happening.
This phenomenon takes place a few times a year, and it created very high tides.
In the one across False Creek, if you zoom in, you can clearly see the seawall is flooded where it isn't as highly elevated. pic.twitter.com/Bsz3LOsYBv
— Patrick Meehan (@Patmeister) November 26, 2018
Areas of the cities can even become flooded when the sea level rises during the event.
Residents In Metro Vancouver have even posted some images of the sea level rising on Twiter, and some of them said that these are definitely the effects of climate change.
You can also take photos of the highest tides & help the city validate flood data. The rest of 2018’s King Tides are highest on the following dates and the following hours:
- Nov 27, 9:26am
- Nov 28, 10:18am
- Nov 29 11:10am
- Nov 30 11:59am
"Doggie Beach", Hadden Park. #bcstorm #sealevelrise #haddenpark #kitspoint #Englishbay #vancouver #CanadaPost pic.twitter.com/HnrI4jxfVK
— Smitty (@Smith442Smith) November 26, 2018
“Many factors come into play when forecasting high water levels, but we have to factor in a weak El Niño playing a role this winter season. These king tidal cycles are extremely sensitive time periods for coastal B.C., as vigorous storm systems can cause significant coastal erosion and in rare cases, inundation of lowest lying areas around the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island,” The Weather Network notes.
I have been blogging and posting articles for over eight years, but my passion for writing dates back in 2000. I am especially enthusiastic about technology, science, and health-related issues. When I’m not researching and writing the latest news, I’m either watching sci-fi and horror movies or checking out places worth visiting and building deep memories for later in life. I believe in empathy and continually improving myself.