SAN DIEGO — King tides are set to return to San Diego this week. Large waves are expected to batter California's coast Thursday and Friday, just weeks after high tides flooded many coastal towns.
Scientists said that the king tides have worsened over time because of the rise in sea levels.
“As sea levels rise, the king tides that we get today will become more and more common in the coming decades," said Andrew Meyer, Director of Conservation, San Diego Audubon Society.
King tides happen when the ocean is pulled back and forth by the moon and sun’s gravitational pull.
During the rare phenomenon, you can see the highest and lowest tides.
“It’s an awesome astronomical event, the sun, the moon, the planet. It’s a really different way of experiencing the coastline," said Meyer.
Meyer says the high tides not only impact beach communities but also wildlife habitats.
“The tidal wetland habitat that we have here is a small remnant of what a lot of the bay used to look like. As the decades progress, unless we invest in restoring and protecting a lot of this kind of habitat – it will disappear forever," he said.
The San Diego Audubon Society will be documenting and reporting the king tides and how they affect the coast, including the Kendall-Frost Marsh in Mission Bay.
“We will be out here surveying for endangered species. So, this particular location has several different endangered species," said Meyer.
People are encouraged to take pictures and videos and submit them online. The data collected during king tides will go into a statewide database.
“The king tide events are a really great eye-opening event to make it clear what it is that we will be dealing with unless we tackle sea level rise and tackle climate change," he added.
The San Diego Audubon Society will be hosting an event at the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve 2055 Pacific Beach Drive, San Diego this Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
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