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King Tides in California: 2026–27 Dates and How to Protect Your Home

Writer: Alex Cammarano
Alex Cammarano
6 days ago
7 min read

Updated: 2 hours ago

King tides are the highest tides of the year, and in California they are completely predictable : this season's fall on November 24–26, December 23–25 and January 21–22.

On their own they mostly flood shoreline streets, parking lots and walkways. The real risk for homes comes when a king tide lands on the same day as a storm, heavy rain or a swollen river. And two things make this winter worth taking seriously: baseline sea level is currently running above normal, and the California Coastal Commission has warned that the 2026–27 El Niño could become historically strong. Both push the water higher than the tide tables alone suggest.

The useful rule is to count backwards. Custom barriers take about four weeks to build, so whichever window you want to be ready for, work back a month from it. If the next king tide is less than four weeks away, aim for the one after it — there are three this season, and the biggest is at Christmas. Here is when the tides hit, who gets wet first, and what you can do before the water shows up.

Key takeaways → 2026–27 king tide windows in California: Nov 24–26, Dec 23–25 and Jan 21–22. Peaks fall in the morning. → King tides are predictable; storms are not. The damage happens when the two overlap, so plan for the worst day, not the average one. → Expect roughly 1.4 to 2 feet above a normal high tide along the California coast this season, depending on the station. → Doors and garage openings are where water usually gets in first. Protect them before the season, not the morning of. → A door barrier won't stop water coming up through floors or drains. Pair it with a backflow valve and a sump pump if you're in a low spot. → Custom barriers take time to make : about 4 weeks from approved quote to delivery. Work back four weeks from the window you want to be ready for.

What is a king tide?

A king tide is the popular name for a perigean spring tide: an unusually high tide that happens a few times a year. NOAA explains that it occurs when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth during a new or full moon, so the Earth, Moon and Sun line up and their

combined pull lifts the ocean higher than usual (NOAA Climate.gov).

King tides are not storms. They are astronomical, which means they can be predicted years in advance, down to the minute.


When are the 2026–27 king tides in California?

Dates published by the California Coastal Commission's King Tides Project (coastal.ca.gov/kingtides), with station-level heights from NOAA tide predictions (compiled for 14 California stations):

Window

Where

What to expect

Nov 24–26, 2026 (Thanksgiving week)

Almost the whole coast, from San Diego to Crescent City

First big morning high tides of the season

Dec 23–25, 2026 (Christmas week)

Entire coast; some Northern California stations also peak on Dec 22

Highest of the season in San Francisco: about 7.2 ft above MLLW, around 10:30 am on Dec 24

Jan 21–22, 2027

Entire coast; parts of Northern California also Jan 20 and Jan 23

Strong morning highs again. Northern California stations stay among the highest

How high? This season's peaks reach about 7.0 to 7.6 feet (above MLLW, the standard tide reference) from Monterey to San Diego, and up to 8.8 feet at Eureka and Crescent City. That is roughly 1.4 to 2 feet above an average high tide.

⚠️ This season may run higher than the table. Baseline sea level is currently above normal, and the California Coastal Commission has warned that the 2026–27 El Niño could become historically strong — both push observed tides above the astronomical prediction.

Check your exact spot: times and heights vary along the coast and inside the Bay. Look up your nearest station on NOAA Tides & Currents and the California King Tides Project.

Who floods first during California king tides?

King tide flooding is very local, often "at a scale of city blocks," as NOAA puts it. Two houses on the same street can have completely different outcomes, so the honest answer is that it depends on your specific lot, not on your city.

You're more exposed if your home has:

  • a ground-level garage, especially on a sloped driveway that funnels water toward the door

  • a front door at street level, with no step up

  • a lower floor, basement or crawlspace below street level

  • a position near a creek, slough, harbor or storm drain outlet that backs up at high tide

The fastest way to find out: the California Coastal Commission's King Tides Project keeps an interactive map of king tide photos submitted along the entire coast. Find your neighborhood on it and you'll see how far the water actually came in past years — far more useful than any general flood map.

You can also join one of the Commission's guided king tide events to see it in person; the schedule is on the same page.

Why king tides plus storms are the real danger

A king tide raises the starting water level. Anything that adds water on top pushes it into homes:

  • Atmospheric rivers and heavy rain: storm drains can't empty into a bay or ocean that is already at its highest point, so water backs up into streets.

  • Storm surge and onshore wind: waves and wind stack water on top of the tide.

  • El Niño winters: NOAA notes that El Niño amplified high-tide flood frequency on the West Coast at about half of the locations studied (NOAA Climate.gov).

That's why the safest assumption is simple: if a big storm is forecast during a king tide window, treat it as a flood day.

Is it getting worse?

Yes. NOAA projects that by 2100, high tides will occur "on top of another 1 to 8 feet of sea level rise," and that today's flood levels will become the normal high tide in coming decades (NOAA Climate.gov). California's own guidance projects a statewide average of about 0.8 feet (roughly 10 inches) of sea level rise by 2050, with local rates ranging from about 0.6 ft in Alameda to 1.2 ft around Humboldt Bay (California Ocean Protection Council, Sea Level Rise Guidance: 2024 Science and Policy Update). King tides are a preview of what an ordinary high tide will look like.

Do you need flood protection for king tides?

Run through this quick checklist:

  • Water has reached your driveway, garage apron or front step during a past king tide or storm.

  • Your street floods when it rains during high tide.

  • Your garage or front door is at, or below, street level.

  • You're within a few blocks of the bay, a harbor, a creek or a slough.

  • You keep a car, appliances, tools or stored items on the ground floor.

If you checked two or more boxes, plan protection for your doors and garage before the December window. And if you're thinking "I'm not in a flood zone": of the 2024 flood damage nationwide, FEMA reported that $3.8 billion occurred in communities that aren't considered high-risk (FloodSmart.gov).




Your options, compared

Option

Height of protection

Setup

Reusable

Best for

Sandbags

Low; they leak at the joints

Hours, several people

No (contaminated after a flood)

Last-minute emergencies

Water-activated bags

A few inches

Minutes

Limited

Shallow runoff at thresholds

Aluminum plank systems

High

Panels slide into fixed tracks

Yes

Permanent, recurring exposure, if you accept drilling

FlowStop inflatable barrier

29.5 to 42.5 in, by model

A few minutes, one person

Yes

Doors, garages and odd-sized openings, custom-made

How FlowStop fits

FlowStop is a custom-made inflatable flood barrier. You place it inside the door or garage opening and inflate it with a pump. It presses against the frame and seals against the floor with built-in gaskets. No drilling, no tracks, and it rolls up into a bag between seasons.

  • Made to measure for each opening: front doors, sliders, garages and windows.

  • Protection height from about 29.5 to 42.5 inches, depending on the model : that is the height of water held back, which is lower than the barrier itself (full specs).

  • Starts at about $770 per opening, depending on size (price calculator).

  • What it doesn't do: it won't stop water rising through floor slabs, drains or cracks in the foundation. In low spots, pair it with a backflow valve and a sump pump.

  • Timing: each barrier is made to order, and it takes about 4 weeks from an approved quote to delivery. Count back four weeks from the window you want to be covered for: roughly late November for the December tides, and before Christmas for the January ones.




Mistakes to avoid before king tide season

Waiting for the forecast

King tide dates are known months ahead. Storms give you two or three days, which isn't enough to order, receive and test custom protection.

Protecting the front door only

Water takes the easiest way in, often the garage or a side door. List every opening at or below street level.

Relying on sandbags alone

They're slow to fill, heavy to place, leak at the joints, and usually have to be thrown away after contact with floodwater.

Never doing a dry run

Practice installing your barrier once before the season, so you know it fits and how long it takes.

Ignoring drains

If water comes up through floor drains or the sewer line, a door barrier can't stop it. Ask a plumber about a backflow valve.

FAQ

When is the next king tide in California?

The 2026–27 windows are around Nov 24–26, Dec 23–25 and Jan 21–22, with morning peaks. Some Northern California stations also run high on Dec 22, Jan 20 and Jan 23. Check NOAA Tides & Currents for your exact station.

How high do king tides get in San Francisco?

About 7.2 feet above MLLW at the peak this season (around Dec 24), roughly 1.4 feet above an average high tide.

Do king tides flood houses?

Usually not on their own: they mainly flood low streets, parking lots and shoreline paths. Homes flood when a king tide coincides with heavy rain, storm surge or high river flow.

Can I use sandbags for king tides?

For a short emergency, yes, but they leak, take hours to place, and generally can't be reused after floodwater.

How long does it take to install a FlowStop barrier?

A few minutes for one person, once it's measured and made for your opening.

Do I need permits to install a flood barrier?

Temporary barriers that don't attach to the building generally don't. Systems anchored to walls may. Check with your city before installing permanent hardware.

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