The stormy weather is continuing in San Francisco this weekend, with a coastal flood warning in effect. The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood warning through 2 pm on Saturday for the SF Bay Shoreline and a coastal flood advisory through 2 pm on Sunday for the Pacific Coast and Monterey Bay.
The flood warning comes during the King Tides, the highest tides of the year in California, which are between January 1 and January 3. The NWS has classified the weather risk as “major,” one step below extreme, with inundation up to 2.5 feet. This means that typically dry land could be covered in 2.5 feet of water due to the flooding, especially in flood-prone and low-lying areas. The NWS advises people to avoid flood-prone areas and to follow all road closures.
The King Tides typically occur in late fall and early winter and raise the tide by an additional 1-2 feet. The tides this week have been record-breaking, with forecasts predicting the highest tides in 30 years, according to storm chaser Colin McCarthy.
Along with the flooding, the Bay Area can expect strong winds, prompting a wind advisory from Friday through 1 pm on Saturday. The forecast shows strong winds of 15-25 with gusts up to 50 mph. The wind advisory is for San Francisco, the East Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains, North Bay Mountains, and Monterey and San Benito Co.
The weather advisories come as rain is forecast through the weekend and into next week. San Francisco and the rest of California have experienced numerous rainstorms over the past weeks, with rain on both Christmas and New Year’s. If you’re wondering how to pass the stormy days in SF, check out our rainy day guide with tons of indoor activities.
For updates and weather advisories, we recommend checking NWS Bay Area here.