King tides 2026–27: dates for every US coast
King tides are the highest tides of the year. They flood low streets, cover beaches and push water over sea walls, and they show today what everyday high tides will look like as sea level rises. Pick your state for exact dates, peak times and heights at every NOAA tide station.
When are the king tides?
Northeast
| State | Next king tides | Then | Spots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | Nov 25–27 | Dec 24–26, Jan 22–24 | 111 |
| New Hampshire | Nov 25–27 | Dec 24–26, Jan 22–24 | 9 |
| Massachusetts | Oct 27–28 | Nov 25–27, Dec 24–26 | 89 |
| Rhode Island | Oct 26–27 | Nov 24–26, Jun 4–6 | 33 |
| Connecticut | Oct 26–28 | Nov 24–26, Jun 3–6 | 41 |
| New York | Oct 26–28 | Nov 24–26, Jun 4–6 | 124 |
| New Jersey | Oct 27–29 | Nov 24–26, Jun 4–7 | 192 |
| Pennsylvania | May 19–21 | Jun 5–6, Jun 17 | 13 |
| Delaware | Oct 27–29 | Nov 24–26, May 18 | 22 |
| Maryland | Oct 26–28 | Jun 4–6, Jul 2–6 | 99 |
| Washington, D.C. | Oct 26–28 | May 7–9, May 18–20 | 5 |
| Virginia | Oct 10–12 | Oct 25–29, Nov 24–26 | 131 |
Southeast & Gulf
| State | Next king tides | Then | Spots |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Oct 10–11 | Oct 26–30, Nov 24–27 | 65 |
| South Carolina | Oct 26–29 | Nov 24–27, Jul 4 | 245 |
| Georgia | Oct 26–30 | Nov 24–27, Jul 4 | 69 |
| Florida | Oct 10–12 | Oct 25–31, Nov 24–27 | 582 |
| Alabama | Oct 26–31 | Nov 24–27, May 8–10 | 23 |
| Mississippi | Oct 14–15 | Oct 27–Nov 1, Nov 24–27 | 22 |
| Louisiana | Oct 13–16 | Oct 26–Nov 1, Nov 25–26 | 85 |
| Texas | Oct 13–18 | Oct 25–Nov 1, Nov 24–26 | 75 |
West Coast
| State | Next king tides | Then | Spots |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Nov 24–26 | Dec 22–25, Jan 20–23 | 191 |
| Oregon | Oct 27–28 | Nov 23–27, Dec 21–26 | 47 |
| Washington | Nov 24–29 | Dec 22–30, Jan 21–27 | 162 |
Alaska & Hawaii
| State | Next king tides | Then | Spots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Oct 26–29 | Nov 23–27, Dec 22–26 | 519 |
| Hawaii | Nov 24–27 | Dec 22–26, Jan 21–22 | 32 |
Islands
| State | Next king tides | Then | Spots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | Oct 26–31 | Nov 23–28, Dec 23–25 | 47 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Oct 26–Nov 1 | Nov 23–28, Dec 24 | 13 |
| Guam | Nov 26–28 | Dec 23–30, Jan 19–27 | 4 |
| American Samoa | Oct 25–26 | Nov 22–25, Dec 22–25 | 2 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Jun 5–13 | Jul 3–11, Aug 1–5 | 3 |
| Micronesia | Oct 11–13 | Oct 26–30, Nov 25–27 | 2 |
| U.S. Pacific Islands | Oct 10–11 | Oct 25–31, Nov 8–11 | 3 |
What makes a king tide
Every two weeks, around the new and full moon, the sun and moon line up and tides run bigger than usual (spring tides). Once a month the moon is also at its closest to Earth (perigee), and when that lands near a new or full moon the pull is strongest. In early January Earth is closest to the sun, which adds a little more. "King tide" isn't a scientific term: it's the name for the highest of these, a handful of days a year.
The season isn't the same everywhere. On the Pacific coast the biggest tides come in winter, from November to January. In Florida and the Southeast they come in early fall, when ocean water is warmest and sea level is at its seasonal high. Hawaiʻi gets them in summer and winter. Because we work from each spot's own predictions, the dates on our state pages already match your stretch of coast.
Photograph the king tides
- Arrive half an hour before the peak time for your spot and stay until it passes.
- Include something people know for scale: a stair, a sign, a piling, a sea wall or a road.
- Take a matching photo from the same spot at an ordinary high tide. The pair shows the difference better than words.
- Note the place, date and time, and share it with your state's project below. Planners use these photos to see where the water will reach as sea level rises.
State and university projects collect these photos:
- California: California King Tides Project
- Florida: MyCoast
- Hawaii: Hawaiʻi & Pacific Islands King Tides Project
- Maryland: MyCoast
- Massachusetts: MyCoast
- New Jersey: MyCoast
- Oregon: Oregon King Tides Project
- Rhode Island: MyCoast
- South Carolina: MyCoast
- Texas: MyCoast
- Washington: Washington Sea Grant king tides calendar; MyCoast
Stay safe
- Stay off jetties, sea walls and rock shelves near the peak. Waves run higher than usual on a king tide.
- On the Pacific coast, keep off drift logs and watch for sneaker waves; a log can roll on you in a few inches of surf.
- Don't drive or walk through flooded streets. Salt water ruins cars, and the curb and drains are hidden.
- Check the marine forecast. Onshore wind, low air pressure or heavy rain can add a foot or more to the predicted tide.
Dates come from NOAA tide predictions for the next 12 months: a spot's king tide days are its top 5% of daily high tides. Predictions don't include wind, storms or rain. Not for navigation.