Weather News

King tides, storms could cause flooding near the Myrtle Beach coast. What to know

King tides have returned to the Myrtle Beach area, this time combined with a chance of rain and thunderstorms for the next three days.

The king tide, or perigean spring tide, happens during a new moon or full moon, when its orbit is closest to earth. This week, the high tide is expected to last until Friday, according to tide tables from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. The highest tide is expected Wednesday and Thursday.

King tides can cause flooding when coupled with rain and wind, especially in low-lying areas near the coast. The Myrtle Beach area faces a chance of rain and thunderstorms through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Local high tide range is usually 5.5 feet, but this week’s king tides are expected to be closer to seven feet, according to DHEC.

To see a chart of when DHEC expects king tides, look at the 2021 tide table. The next king tide is expected from July 22-24.

This story was originally published June 22, 2021 at 9:40 AM.

Mary Norkol
The Sun News
Mary Norkol covers education and COVID-19 for The Sun News through Report for America, an initiative which bolsters local news coverage. She joined The Sun News in June 2020 after graduating from Loyola University Chicago, where she was editor-in-chief of the Loyola Phoenix. Norkol has won awards in podcasting, multimedia reporting, in-depth reporting and feature reporting from the South Carolina Press Association and the Illinois College Press Association. While in college, she reported breaking news for the Daily Herald and interned at the Chicago Sun-Times and CBS Chicago.
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