King tides to impact NC coast. Here's when and what you can expect in the Wilmington area.

Madison Lipe, Wilmington StarNews
·2 min read
King tides hit the NC coast along the Cape Fear River in downtown Wilmington in July 2022. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS FILE
King tides hit the NC coast along the Cape Fear River in downtown Wilmington in July 2022. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS FILE

For many living in the coastal part of the state, flooding is no shock to the system as the coast is very flat and tides, heavy rain events and even wind play a role in determining water levels, according to the North Carolina King Tides Project.

Starting Monday, those near North Carolina beaches will experience king tides, which could bring flooding to coastal areas.

What are king tides?

King tides occur when the moon is the closest to the Earth in orbit and aligned with the Earth and sun. They are also the highest high tides of the year. These tides bring in extra water to beaches and surrounding areas, sometimes even cause street closures.

When do king tides occur?

The North Carolina coast will experience its first king tides of the year from April 8-10. According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration tide schedules, king tides occur regularly and are expected to occur five more times during the year.

Here’s when you can expect king tides this year:

  • April 8-10

  • May 6-9

  • Aug. 17-21

  • Sep. 15-23

  • Oct. 15-22

  • Nov. 14-18

What areas will be impacted?

Locally, the areas to watch out for flooding are any of the local beaches, but specifically Carolina Beach and Southport, said Reid Hawkins, science and operations officer for the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

Hawkins said that areas such as River Road along the Cape Fear River and across the river at the Battleship North Carolina’s parking lot are also areas to monitor.

What can we expect?

So far, Hawkins said, the main issue looks to be minor coastal flooding, which could be about 6-7 inches of water. He said that if it was windy, there could be an issue with beach erosion, but that doesn’t seem to be an issue this time.

The highest tides will come in on the beaches in the morning around 10:30 a.m. and this is where the highest chance of minor coastal flooding will occur.

With king tides come extreme highs, but also lows. Sometimes extreme low tides can cause difficulties for boaters who are navigating through inlets because of how shallow the water can get, but Hawkins said that this doesn’t seem to be a concern with the upcoming tides.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: What are king tides and how will they impact the North Carolina coast