Stay Curious

SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AND UNLOCK ONE MORE ARTICLE FOR FREE.

Sign Up

VIEW OUR Privacy Policy


Discover Magazine Logo

WANT MORE? KEEP READING FOR AS LOW AS $1.99!

Subscribe

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

FIND MY SUBSCRIPTION
Advertisement

Wicked High Tides: Citizen Scientists Plan for Sea-Level Rise

King tides happen when the Earth, Sun and moon align, sometimes creating "sunny day flooding." To understand how sea level rise will change future flood patterns, researchers and citizen scientists are teaming up to map areas that are already impacted.

Flooding on the Boston Harborwalk from a Wicked High Tide event in October 2019.Credit: Janine Myszka

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

Citizen Science Salon is a partnership between Discover and SciStarter.org.

Wicked high tides, also known as king tides or astronomical high tides, are a natural phenomenon that occurs several times a year in certain areas around the globe. In the Boston area, these events usually happen in March and October. This is when there is a full or new moon, and the Earth, Sun and moon align to create an extremely high tide. These events are often associated with greater flooding, sometimes called “sunny day flooding” or “nuisance flooding.” These floods happen regardless of storms or precipitation and can cause roads, sidewalks or certain areas to be impassable.

If these events already occur naturally, what can we do about them? Wicked high tide events give us a glimpse into what our future will look like as sea levels rise under climate change. Learning exactly what areas are already flooding will ...

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe
Advertisement

0 Free Articles