King tides return to San Diego’s coastline, thanks to the Beaver Moon

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — King tides are expected to return to San Diego's coastline this weekend, thanks to the gravitational forces of the moon and sun.

What causes this cosmic phenomenon? Put simply, king tides are a result of how far away the sun, moon and Earth are positioned from each other.

As explained by officials with Sea Grant California , the moon's pull is about twice as strong as the that of the sun, which is why Friday's full moon comes into play. Also known as the Beaver Moon, it's the fourth and final supermoon of yea r. It will look bigger and brighter than usual as it comes within about 225,000 miles of Earth.

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A full moon occurs when the Earth, moon and sun are near alignment, with the Earth being located between the moon and sun. This alignment causes an increase in the gravitational pull called spring tides.

Larger tidal events — king tides — occur when these spring tides occur at the same time as a perigee, or when the moon is in its closest position to Earth. This only happens about three or four times a year.

How long will king tides last? Officials with Sea Grant California expect this round of king tides to occur on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. During this timeframe, the king tides could sweep the Southern California seaboard with heights up to 7 feet — possibly more.

As it stands Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) tide predictions show levels right under 7 feet for all three days, with Saturday predicted to have the greatest height. A graph of NOAA predictions can be viewed below:

Editor's note: These predictions are for La Jolla; exact timing and height of the tide extremes will differ slightly as you move up and down the coast.

After this event passes, the next king tides, also the last occurrence of the year, are expected to return Dec. 13 through 15.

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Where to check out king tides in San Diego King tides provide an opportunity to get a glimpse of what our coast may look like as sea-level rises, explained Sea Grant California officials. The water level reached by an extreme high tide in current time could be the same water level of more frequent moderate tides in the future.

Some areas the may be the best for viewing king tides in the morning hours, based on prior occurrences , includes Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff State Beach, Oceanside, among other coastal locations.

Also keep in mind that the tides will later recede to extremely low levels, making the beaches more walkable and creating ample conditions for tide pooling. This is expected in the afternoon hours for each day.

The best spots to get a glimpse at uncovered ecosystems during low tide include Swami's State Beach, the Birch Aquarium area at Scripps, Dike Rock (found north of the Scripps Pier and La Jolla Shores Beach), as well as Sunset Cliffs Natural Reserve.