Don Bauder 5:30 p.m., March 10
The Tides of December
Exceptionally High and Low Tides are set to occur on several days in early December. These tides closely coincide with the full moon (which was December 1). On Wednesday, December 2, a peak high tide of +6.7 feet occurs at 8:08am. Thursday's high tide of +6.7 peaks at 8:51am. Friday's high tide of +6.5 feet peaks at 9:37am. Saturday's high tide of +6.2 feet crests at 10:27am. There are at least two consequences of such high tides. If any strong winter storm happens to arrive from the west during these peak tides, some flooding of low-lying coastal areas around San Diego is likely. On the brighter side, birdwatchers have an opportunity to spot species of rare shorebirds that get pushed to the edges of local bays and coastal marshes by the high water. Several exceptionally low tides will also occur within the same string of early December dates. On Wednesday, December 2, the tide falls to -1.5 feet at 3:22pm. On Thursday, the tide drops to -1.5 feet at 4:08pm. On Friday, a low tide of -1.3 feet occurs at 4:56pm. On Saturday, the tide drops to -1.0 foot at 5:47pm. The first two or three low-tide occasions are good for exploring marine life in the tidepool areas along San Diego County's coastline. The last low-tide episode mentioned takes place well after sunset.