King Tides: Petaluma Area Under Coastal Flood Advisory

PETALUMA, CA — A coastal flood advisory has been issued for Petaluma and large swaths of Sonoma County from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Tuesday as the subsiding king tides merge with building seas and storm surge, the National Weather Service said.

"The highest astronomical tides of the year, commonly referred to as the King Tides, have peaked and will begin to subside, however, localized coastal flooding will continue to be possible during high tide Tuesday (9 a.m.-3 p.m. depending on location) along the low-lying portions of the Bayshore and Pacific coast," the weather service said.

The coastal flood advisory applies to Coastal North Bay including the Point Reyes National Seashore, North Bay interior valleys, San Francisco Bay Shoreline, San Francisco Peninsula Coast, Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast.

A combination of the subsiding King Tides, a building northwest swell of 10 to 15 feet, and minor increases from storm surge led to higher local water levels Monday, forecasters said in the advisory.

"Monday's peak tidal gauge readings were slightly higher than forecast, an indication that these offsetting factors have already begun to impact water levels," the weather service said.

Flooding of areas previously impacted by King Tide events is possible Tuesday, including low-lying lots, parks and roads throughout the San Francisco Bay Shoreline with the highest high tides.

The high tide Tuesday in Petaluma is at 1:17 p.m.

"If travel is required, allow extra time as some roads may be closed," the weather service said. "Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth. Take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property."