Seasonal king tides are expected to impact Marin County from Thursday through Saturday, with the potential to cause flooding in low-lying shoreline areas. As rain continues in the Bay Area, residents are urged to stay informed and prepared.
King tides are the highest tides of the year, created by the gravitational alignment of the sun and moon. These extremely high tides can flood roadways, parking areas, and shoreline infrastructure. On Wednesday, National Weather Service forecasters issued a coastal flood advisory for the shorelines of San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Monterey Bay and the Pacific Coast from Wednesday at 5 a.m. through Sunday at 2 p.m.
Based on the San Francisco tide gauge, the following peak tides are forecast for the first days of 2026:
- Thursday: Peak tide at 8:41 a.m. (7.0 feet)
- Friday: Peak tide at 9:34 a.m. (7.2 feet)
- Saturday: Peak tide at 10:26 a.m. (7.1 feet)
Where to find information
Residents in vulnerable areas should plan for possible travel disruptions and allow extra time during morning hours when tides are at their highest.
Traffic and transit conditions can be checked at 511.org, while local emergency information is available through the county’s AlertMarin portal.
Residents are also encouraged to sign up for AlertMarin notifications and verify their contact information to receive timely updates.
Nearly real-time rainfall data can be viewed on Marin County’s One Rain page, and road and storm updates are frequently shared on X by @MarinSheriff, and @CHPMarin.
During storm events, emergencies should be reported by calling 911. For non-emergency flooding or roadway concerns, residents may contact the Marin County Department of Public Works at (415) 473-6530.
The Southern Marin Fire Protection District urges residents to take preparedness measures by seeking sand and sandbags should they need them.
Need a sandbag or several?
Sand and bags can be purchased at local hardware stores. Sand and sandbags may also be located at the following locations:
Mill Valley
- 1 Hamilton Drive (Hauke Park) — sandbags are located in the parking lot next to the Public Safety Building.
- 71 Thalia St. (Boyle Park) — sandbags are located in the parking lot near the baseball fields.
- 40 Molino Ave. (near Old Mill Park) — sandbags are located behind Old Mill Park approximately 100 yards east of Molino Avenue/Cascade Way
Sausalito
- 610 Coloma St. (old MLK School) — sandbags are located between buildings 6 and 7.
- 530 Nevada St. (Sausalito Corps Yard) — sandbags are available Monday-Thursday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Strawberry & Alto
- 10 Miland Drive — sandbags are located across the street from 10 Miland Drive next to the fire road gate approximately 500 feet up the hill on the left.
Tam Valley
- 203 Marin Ave. (Tam Valley Community Center parking lot) — sand and bags are to the left upon entering the parking lot; please park in the spaces and do not block the driveway – www.tamcsd.org or (415) 388-6393.
Tiburon
- 654 Tiburon Blvd. (Blackie’s Pasture) — Sandbags are only at this location when big storms are known to be approaching.