Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – Seasonal king tides are expected in the coming months and may cause flooding in low-lying areas of Marin County. These extremely high tides can flood roadways even without rain, but impacts increase significantly when storms coincide with elevated tides.
Based on tide predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), tide levels that could be high enough to cause roadway flooding in coastal and bayside areas of Marin are expected in November, December, and January. Storms during these periods may create tidal surges that raise water levels higher than predicted.
Coastal communities and areas historically susceptible to flooding have a higher chance of being impacted. That can be most prevalent in areas of Marin where signs of sea level rise are already increasing tidal flooding issues during seasonal king tides. Some of those locations are North San Pedro Road through China Camp in unincorporated San Rafael, Greenwood Cove Drive in Tiburon, Lucky Drive in Greenbrae, Redwood Highway at Greenbrae Boardwalk, Marin City, and the Manzanita Park & Ride lot (a Caltrans property) near Tam Junction.
The Marin County Department of Public Worksand the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District urge residents and visitors to stay alert for king tides, plan extra travel time, and avoid driving through flooded roadways. Even six inches of water can stall a vehicle.
In advance of storms, residents can help reduce flood risk on their own property by clearing leaves from gutters, drains, and driveways, and properly disposing of debris in compost bins rather than the street. Those living in flood-prone areas should test sump pumps, keep sandbags on hand (available at most hardware stores) and know how to use them before storms. In addition, everyone should review emergency readiness tips at ReadyMarin.org, which includes checklists and preparedness resources.
Predicted king tide dates in Marin, according to the San Francisco tide gauge:
- November 5-7
- December 4-6
- January 1-3
Stay Informed
- Check 511.org for traffic and transit updates.
- Visit emergency.marincounty.gov for local emergency resources.
- Sign up for Alert Marin notifications and verify your contact details.
- View nearly real-time rainfall data at Marin County’s OneRain webpage.
- Follow @MarinDPW, @MarinSheriff, and @CHPMarin on X (Twitter) for road and storm information.
- During storm events, residents can call 911 for emergencies, or Public Works at 415-473-6530 for non-emergencies.