What are King Tides? We're likely going to find out at local beaches starting this weekend
For visitors headed to the Cape Fear coast for the long Fourth of July holiday, be prepared for traffic, loud fireworks, hot and humid weather, and ... abnormally high tides.
Yep. A confluence of the holiday calendar and celestial orbits will see the moon bringing extra high tides, colloquially known as King Tides, to area beaches. That could mean closed streets, wet feet and even less sand to share on one of the busiest beach weekends of the year.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), King Tide conditions are expected to lead to extra high tides Sunday through Wednesday.
What exactly are King Tides?
King Tides describe the highest high tides of the year and occur when the moon is closest to the Earth in orbit, as well as aligned with the Earth and sun.
They are regular occurrences, and will occur every month through November, according to NOAA tide schedules.
According to the N.C. King Tides Project, the North Carolina coast is very flat, and tides, heavy rain events, and even wind play a role in determining water levels − which can make events like King Tides major flooding events. The project is asking residents who observe King Tides to send them pictures to allow researchers to visualize how "normal" high tides could look in the future due to sea-level rise.
Are King Tides dangerous?
That depends. Along with covering beaches and making a dry spot on the sand an even more coveted possession, higher tides could lead to flooding in low-lying marshes, along the Intracoastal Waterway, tidal creeks, and areas with weakened shoreline infrastructure.
The tides also can hide dangerous obstacles and wash debris into roads and waterways, making driving, swimming or boating hazardous.
Researchers worry that climate change will make King Tides of tomorrow even worse as higher temperatures increase the melting of the polar ice caps and result in the expansion of warming ocean water.
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Which local areas could be impacted?
Areas that historically see flooding during high-tide events, like parts of Carolina Beach and downtown Wilmington, could see water on streets.
According to the Carolina Beach Facebook page, locations in the Pleasure Island town most often affected during high-tide events include Canal Drive, Florida Avenue and Carolina Beach Avenue North.
"Town officials may close roads due to flooding and Carolina Beach police officers will issue a $250 citation to anyone driving around barricades and through flooded areas," stated the post. "Please use caution and obey traffic signs and barriers. Avoid walking or driving in flooded areas; salt water can be detrimental to your vehicle and could contain debris."
Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from 1Earth Fund and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: What are King Tides? NC beaches to find out over July 4th holiday
