The much-anticipated onset of the highest tides in more than a century spurred a flurry of precautionary activity along coastal areas in the state but so far no serious damage or disruption.
The National Weather
Service issued a special weather statement earlier in the week warning of potential flooding due to record-level “king tides” — the highest high tides predicted for the year — that were expected to continue daily through the Memorial Day weekend.
The special statement was prompted by a confluence of unusually high king tides and a growing south swell that was expected to bring large surf to the south shores of all islands.
The peak high tide Friday occurred at 5:07 p.m. with water levels reaching 2.6 feet above mean minimum in Honolulu, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Water levels were also high along coastal areas of Hawaii island, reaching 3 feet and 2.9 feet above mean minimum in Kawaihae and Hilo, respectively, NOAA reported.
In anticipation of the king tides, city Department of Parks and Recreation personnel placed more than 500 sandbags along the makai side of Ala Moana Beach Park and more than 200 sandbags at Kuhio Beach Park in Waikiki on Thursday.
Hotels and other businesses along Waikiki Beach also took extra precautions to prevent rushing water from affecting their properties.
The Hilton Hawaiian Village canceled its weekly Friday night fireworks display. The hotel previously canceled its April 28 fireworks show when high-tide waters overran the staging area.
Spokeswoman Cynthia Rankin said the hotel also lowered the water level of its lagoon to accommodate excess ocean water that could come in during high tide, thereby preventing potential flooding of other areas of the property.
Hilton guests were notified of the king tides and advised to take proper precautions while at the beach, Rankin said.
Earlier in the week, waves overran a 4-foot-high, 40-foot-long berm constructed of sandbags and reached the wall of the first-floor restaurant at the Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort.
Outrigger spokeswoman Monica Salter said the barrier and other sandbags placed along the property did well in preventing flooding within the property and that hotel staff would continue to monitor high-tide periods through the weekend.
Overall, Waikiki hotels and businesses appeared to have weathered Friday’s historic high tide with little disturbance.
A manager at the beach-side restaurant Duke’s Waikiki said the peak tide Friday appeared to be only a couple of inches higher than usual and had no impact on diners or the property.
High-tide conditions are a continued problem, however, for businesses in Mapunapuna, which is prone to flooding from groundwater. Large ponds had already formed along Ahua Street during high-tide periods earlier in the week.
The weather service predicted the following high-tide levels and times for Honolulu for the remainder of the holiday weekend:
>> 2.4 feet, 5:55 p.m. today
>> 2.3 feet, 6:46 p.m. Sunday
>> 2.1 feet, 7:40 p.m. Monday
A high-surf advisory remains in effect for the south shores of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, Kahoolawe and Hawaii island until 6 a.m. Sunday. Surf was expected to peak at 6 to 10 feet overnight through this morning before decreasing to 5 to 8 feet tonight and into Sunday.
The weather service cautions beachgoers to expect ocean water occasionally sweeping across portions of beaches (particularly around the early-evening high tide), very strong breaking waves and rip currents.
This summer’s king tides also are expected to hit during the last weeks of June and July.