New Monthly High Tide Flooding Outlook Now Available

Nicole R. LeBoeuf
Assistant Administrator
Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management,
National Ocean Service

Video Transcript

This summer, NOAA is releasing the new Monthly High Tide Flooding Outlook. This is a major advancement in NOAA’s capability to predict when and where high tide flooding may occur – up to a year in advance, at specific locations. Relying on tide predictions, sea level rise trends, and seasonal changes, NOAA’s Monthly Outlook predicts the likelihood of high tide flooding days.

The Monthly Outlook replaces NOAA’s Seasonal Hide Tide Bulletin and is now displayed alongside the Annual High Tide Flooding Outlook on our Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services’ website. Together, these resources provide high tide flooding predictions across a range of timescales for different uses.

High tide flooding — also known as king tides, nuisance, or sunny-day flooding — occurs when water overflows or accumulates during high tide on coastal land that is typically dry.

It impacts many facets of coastal community life — causing disruptions like longer commute times, business closures, and construction delays. Coastal communities can use NOAA’s Monthly High Tide Flooding Outlook to see when and where high high tide flooding is expected to occur. NOAA’s high tide flooding predictions support a variety of decision-making processes, from planning for road closures to mitigating flooding impacts for vulnerable infrastructure.

As sea levels continue to rise, high tide flooding is becoming more frequent. By predicting its likelihood, NOAA is helping communities prepare for and respond to impacts, becoming more resilient to coastal change.