When is the next king tide in south carolina
What is the King Tides Project?
The King Tides Project helps people all over the world understand how sea-level rise will impact their lives.
The King Tides Project is an international initiative, first started in Australia, to document extreme high tide events using photos. These photos can help us visualize how “normal” high tides could look in the future due to sea-level rise. From these images we can create a record of how our shoreline looks today and track future changes. By visualizing these higher tide events we can start to understand how rising sea-levels will impact local resources and community investments.
What are king tides?
King Tides: a non-scientific term used to describe the predicted highest high-tide and lowest low-tide events of the year. King tides occur during a perigean (when Moon is closest to Earth) spring tide (full and new moon). In other words, a full or new moon must co-occur when the Moon is closest to Earth in its elliptical orbit. These condition cause extreme highs and lows during the daily tidal cycle. Due to their astronomical nature, king tides are regular and predictable events, reoccurri
About the Monthly Outlook
Visualize when and where above-normal high tides and high tide flooding, may be experienced up to a year in advance. Coastal flooding likelihoods are derived from tide predictions, sea level rise trends, and seasonal changes in coastal sea level. Likelihoods represent the potential that a higher than normal high tide may lead to at least minor coastal flooding in flood prone areas. Real-time weather conditions may still cause flooding outside of dates identified in this product. To monitor water levels in real-time and track storms, visit our Coastal Inundation Dashboard.
Using This Product
Select a region from the drop-down menu above the map or click a station pin on the map and select a month.
- Map: Visualize where high tide flooding is predicted to occur at National Ocean Service (NOS) water level stations in the selected month (default is the current month). Stations are represented by pins color-coded to show flooding likelihoods.
- Region Tab: Learn why tides may be higher than usual in the selected region and what
King Tides
King Tides are especially high tide events when there is alignment of the gravitational pull between the sun and moon.
The term "King Tide" is a non-scientific term and describes Perigean Spring Tides, which are the highest seasonal tides that occur each year.
These tides occur when the moon is either new or full and is closest to the earth in its monthly orbit. These especially high tides can cause or worsen coastal flooding.
Understanding King Tides
In order to understand Perigean Spring Tides, you first have to know that the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun cause tides. Tides are actually long-period waves that roll around the planet as the ocean is 'pulled' back and forth as the moon and the sun interact with the Earth in their monthly and yearly orbits.
The next thing you need to know is that the moon follows an elliptical path around the Earth in its monthly orbit, and the Earth follows an elliptical path in its yearly orbit around the sun. This means that, at times, the moon and the sun are closer to Earth. At other times, they are farther away.
Gravitational Pull
What happens when the moon and the sun are close
Periods of high astronomical high tides or spring tides, commonly recognizable as King Tides, occur during a full moon or fresh moon. Spring tides can flood area roads and property with salt water, making roads impassable for hours or even foremost to flooding of homes and businesses. Coastal flooding is a combination of astronomical forces, wind direction and speed, atmospheric pressure, and other hydrologic and weather conditions. For example, on a given day, the astronomical tide is predicted to peak a foot below flood stage, the combination of strong northeast winds, passage of low pressure, and recent heavy rainfall creates a tidal departure (difference of the actual water level from the astronomical tide level) of a foot, resulting in the total water level to reach flood stage. The forecasters at the National Weather Service Charleston, SC consider this combination of factors to produce a “Total Water” forecast. The Total Water forecast applies to tidal water levels at two points; Charleston Harbor, SC and Fort Pulaski, GA.
King Tide Calendars
2025 King Tides Calendar
NC King Tides’ definition of a “King Tide”:
Some of the highest predictable water levels of the year, occurring during the perigean spring tides – that is, when the moon is either new or full and closest to Earth – and exceeding a local risk-based threshold of 4 ft MLLW (for NOAA Beaufort Duke Marine Lab NC Gauge #8656483).
The NC King Tides calendar does not predict coastal flooding. The occurrence of coastal flooding can be influenced by non-tidal factors, including meteorological forcing (e.g., wind and pressure), seasonal changes in sea level, and land-based factors (e.g., high groundwater, rainfall, infrastructure). We direct the reader to the NOAA Monthly High Tide Outlook for predictions of coastal flooding.
2025 King Tide Events
- March 30 & 31, 2025
- April 26 – 30, 2025
- May 25 – 28, 2025
- June 23 – 25, 2025
- October 6 – 12, 2025
- November 4 – 9, 2025
- December 3 – 7, 2025
Calendars from Previous Years