Massive King Tides Set to Soak the Southeast Coast Next Week

Communities from Florida to North Carolina are gearing up for one of the most noticeable natural events of the year. Starting early next week, a series of powerful king tides will raise water levels higher than usual, leading to possible flooding. These seasonal high tides aren’t unusual, but the upcoming combination of astronomical forces and steady onshore winds is expected to make this round particularly impactful.

What Are King Tides?

King tides are the year’s highest tides, driven by the alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth. When a full or new moon occurs, the gravitational pull on the oceans intensifies. This alignment causes the water to bulge slightly higher than usual, creating more dramatic high tides along coastlines.

Next week’s king tides will happen during a full moon, and the moon will also be at perigee, the closest point in its orbit to Earth. This proximity gives its gravitational pull an extra boost, pushing tides even higher than during an average full moon.

Why This Event Is Especially Important