Aloha from Hawaii: Low tide, High tide and now King tide.

Sand bags at Royal Hawaiian Hotel

King tide is the highest predicted high tide of the year at a coastal location. The water rises above the highest water level reached by high tide on that location. According to the Environmental protection Agency (EPA) they are also known as perigean spring tides.

They are normal occurrence once or twice a year in coastal locations. It requires lot of coincidence for the king tide to occur They occur when the Earth, Sun and Moon align and the Moon is closest to the earth thereby generating the maximum gravitational pull. King tide help us to predict the future of that coastal area because of rising sea levels worldwide due to global warming.

The high tides are reaching higher and higher and reaching further inland than before. As time goes on the water level reached by the king tide will be the new water level reached by high tide in future. So, they are a glimpse into future and warn us to be prepared about how we design and improve our infrastructure and make it permanent more safe and secure on this island.

The idea of using king tides to glimpse the future of sea level rise originated in Australia. Witness King Tides remains an active organization, encouraging coastal communities around Australia to contribute photos to the project. In the United States, they are predicted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Being located in the middle of Pacific Ocean, Hawaiian islands are especially susceptible to king tides. This year’s king tide is predated to be among the highest Hawaii has ever seen.

This year the weather center has predicted 3 king tides, to occur May 25 through 28, June 23-24, and July 21-23. And to make the matter worse, the king tide are coinciding with the south swell. The south shore of the islands are already the highest hits.

So, the island chain is bracing up for dealing with the coastal flooding and land erosion.

Reports are already in that ocean is washing over many highways statewise. Combined with the south swell,waves as high as 6-10 feets were seen today at magic island.

A high-surf advisory has been posted for south-facing shores of Oahu and residents in the low lying coastal areas are advised to remove the electronics equipment and vehicles from basements.

Dr. Kim Peyton, estuaries and coastal habitat research scientist in Maui Division of Aquatic Resources DAR, notes that “King tides bring unusually high water levels, resulting in local flooding that can leave schools of juvenile fishes to die on roads, parking lots and other hard structures.”

Fish on the side walk due to flooding

"At Ala Moana they have put out over 500 sand bags there is a wall on the Makai side and they are blocking where people walk through so we don’t have sea water killing our grass and trees and other things," said Mayor Kirk Caldwell.