King tides are especially hight tides that occur a few times a year. Hawaii, being in the middle of the Pacific are susceptible to these tides too. However, the Hawaii king tides rolling in this year will be among the biggest seen yet.
King tides occur a few times a year all over the world. In Hawaii, these king tides usually occur during the spring and summer. And while normal, this year’s tides will be amongst the highest king tides Hawaii has ever seen.
When to Expect King Tides
This year, king tides are forecasted to occur May 25 through 28, June 23-24, and July 21-23. Unfortunately, this means that a king tide will occur during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. The tides will peak on Friday at 5:07 pm and Saturday at 5:55 pm, though they’ll affect the islands Thursday through Sunday. Worst yet, this weekend’s king tides are coinciding with a south swell. The south shores of the islands are already the hardest hit by the king tides, so the increased waves aren’t going to help.
What This Means for You
The majority of Hawaii’s hotels are located along beaches. But Waikiki, which is located on Oahu’s south shore, is especially susceptible to these unusually high tides. Waikiki already is already suffering from major erosion issues, which means sections of the beach often completely disappear. Not only does this mean there’s less beach for visitors to enjoy, but it also puts hotels fronting those sections at greater risk of coastal flooding. The erosion also means that the portions of beach that do remain are often quite slim.
However, during king tides, much of Waikiki beach may be inundated with water, especially during peak high-tides. In fact, some hotels, such as the Outrigger Reef, are already placing sandbags around the beach-facing side of their property. And indeed, Honolulu Magazine photographer, Aaron Yoshino, has already been posting photos of water taking over the beach and backing up beach showers on his personal Instagram account.
What Can You Do?
If you’re going to be in Waikiki this weekend and are set on enjoying the beach, be sure to do so during low-tide. Of course doing simply this may not be enough. Especially with the south swell rolling in this weekend too. So a better option may be to simply rent a car and head out of Waikiki. Instead, hit the beach in places like Ko Olina, Waialua, or even Waimanalo instead.
These beaches are much larger and much less crowded, so either way they’re a better option regardless. But if you do decide to head down to the beach in Waikiki, just remember to be aware of your surroundings. The water inundating the beach may be shallow, but all it takes is one wave to sweep you off your feet and wash you away from the shore. So be safe, watch the waves, keep out of rough looking water, and heed all warning signs and lifeguard warnings.