Seasonal king tides are forecast to impact Marin County from Thursday through Monday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

This weekend’s tides are forecasted to be lower than the last round in early January, and there will not be an accompanying storm surge, but the county warned business owners, homeowners and commuters to always be aware of when king tides occur so they can prepare for potential impacts. 

Impacts are most likely along the Bay shoreline, near creeks and in locations that have experienced flooding during previous king tide events. During peak tide periods, water levels may rise high enough to flood coastal and bayside roadways, parking areas and pedestrian pathways. 

Locations that have experienced king tide flooding in the past include North San Pedro Road through China Camp in San Rafael, the Canal neighborhood of San Rafael, Greenwood Cove Drive in Tiburon, Lucky Drive in Greenbrae, Redwood Highway at the Greenbrae Boardwalk, Marin City, the Mill Valley-Sausalito pathway and the Manzanita Park & Ride lot near Tam Junction. 

How to prepare before king tides 

Residents are encouraged to obtain sandbags early, as demand may increase during flooding events. Sandbag locations are available on the county’s emergency services website.

Clearing storm drains, gutters, and driveways of leaves and debris can help water drain more quickly. Those living or working in flood-prone areas should move vehicles to higher ground, test sump pumps and drainage systems and ensure emergency supplies are readily available. Staying informed by signing up for local alerts and monitoring updates at emergency.marincounty.gov is strongly recommended. 

Safety during king tides

During peak tide periods, residents should limit travel when possible and use caution if flooding occurs. Never drive or walk through flooded roads — “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.” Keep children and pets away from floodwater and check road conditions at 511.org before traveling. In an emergency, call 911. 

Southern Marin higher-ground parking options 

Residents in flood-prone neighborhoods of Southern Marin, including waterfront Sausalito properties, are encouraged to plan and use higher-ground parking during peak king tide periods.  

Available options include Sausalito Dog Park (100 Ebbtide), Dunphy Park (Bridgeway at Napa Street), Marinship Park (2201 Marinship Way), and MLK Park (610 Coloma St.). Street parking is also available on the west side of the 1700 block of Bridgeway from Easterby to Napa Street, the east side of Bridgeway from Marinship Way to 2300 Bridgeway, and the west side of Bridgeway from Spring Street to Olive Street. 

For updates, preparedness tips and resources, visit emergency.marincounty.gov or readymarin.marincounty.gov. 

Ruth Dusseault is an investigative reporter and multimedia journalist focused on environment and energy. Her position is supported by the California local news fellowship, a statewide initiative spearheaded by UC Berkeley aimed at supporting local news platforms. While a student at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism (c’23), Ruth developed stories about the social and environmental circumstances of contaminated watersheds around the Great Lakes, Mississippi River and Florida’s Lake Okeechobee. Her thesis explored rights of nature laws in small rural communities. She is a former assistant professor and artist in residence at Georgia Tech’s School of Architecture, and uses photography, film and digital storytelling to report on the engineered systems that undergird modern life.