Coastal hazards due to king tides to last through Thursday

The National Weather Service has extended its coastal hazard message for Hawaii to Thursday afternoon.

Due to summer king tides, minor coastal flooding may occur in low-lying areas of the Hawaiian islands, the NWS warned. Tides peak during the afternoon hours — between 5 to 5:30 p.m. for most Oahu locations — and may cause flooding, particularly in low-lying coastal roadways, docks, and marina parking lots.

The tides may also result in the flooding of beaches that are normally dry and cause minor coastal erosion and saltwater inundation.

NWS advises the public to avoid driving through flooded roadways, secure canoes or other watercraft stowed on beaches, and move electronics or other valuables to higher ground.

King tides — or perigean spring tides – occur when the moon is at its closest point to the Earth in its monthly orbit, resulting in stronger gravitational pull.

This produces the highest high tides of the year, or king tides, according to the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program.

UH is seeking citizen scientists to photograph and document these occurrences to better understand the future impacts of sea level rise.

UH welcomes submissions of photographs at its project website PacificIslandsKingTides.org.

A small craft advisory covering Maalaea Bay, Pailolo and Alenuihaha channels, Hawaii island leeward and southeast waters also remains in effect through 6 p.m. Thursday.