A "king tide" is set to slap Metro Vancouver shores every day this week, which has some people wondering: what exactly is a "king tide?"
"The king tide isn't just a normal tidal cycle – but one on steroids," describes The Weather Network.
While they work the way that tides regularly do (they are controlled by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun), the sea level comes in much higher.
Indeed, this phenomenon takes place a few times a year and creates exceptionally high tides. In fact, areas of the city actually flood when the sea level rises during the event.
Residents of Metro Vancouver have posted images of the rising sea level on Twitter, and some added that the high tides are an effect of climate change.
https://twitter.com/Patmeister/status/1067108919649034240
https://twitter.com/Smith442Smith/status/1067138829973245952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1067138829973245952&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fglobalnews.ca%2Fnews%2F4700810%2Fatmospheric-river-brings-heavy-rain-strong-winds-b-c-s-south-coast-leading-to-localized-flooding%2F
https://twitter.com/Smith442Smith/status/1067147662816735232
Snap shoreline photos at our highest tides & help the city validate flood data. The rest of 2018's King Tides are highest on:
- Nov 27, 9:26am
- Nov 28, 10:18am
- Nov 29 11:10am
- Nov 30 11:59am
