Having survived the Great Tsunami of December 5, we now need to prepare for the annual year-end king tides.
The combination of lunar phase and the solar perihelion (when the earth is closest to the sun) can generate especially high tides before and after the winter solstice.
High tides exceeding 6.5′ are predicted for the following days:
- Thursday, December 12 at 8:22 a.m. (6.61′)
- Friday, December 13 at 9:04 a.m. (6.84′)
- Saturday, December 14 at 9:47 a.m. (6.93′)
- Sunday, December 15 at 10:32 a.m. (6.88′)
- Monday, December 16 at 11:18 a.m. (6.69′)
Accuweather is predicting rain on December 13, 14 and 16, so water levels could be even higher on those days.
If you haven’t already signed up for emergency alerts, you can at AlertMarin and stay up to date at Public Emergency Portal – Marin County. ReadyMarin has information on how to keep your family safe, warm, and fed in the event of a flood.
In related news, the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) has voted to adopt the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) to guide how local governments will create coordinated, locally planned sea level rise adaptation actions that work together to achieve regional resilience and a shared One Bay Vision.
The BCDC recently called the decision a “pivotal milestone” as the commission shifts its focus from regulating bay fill to spearheading sea level rise mitigation efforts. Kappas resident Joe Novitsky monitored the meeting on Zoom and reports: “BCDC was required to generate and adopt such a plan before the end of this year by the California Legislature—SB272 2023. All bayshore counties and larger cities were represented at that meeting by commissioners who voted in favor. Commissioners recognized they were changing the BCDC’s mission by voting unanimously in favor, and at least one commissioner wondered out loud whether the BCDC has the legal authority to regulate local planning ― municipal and county ― this way.”