Severe Flooding Hits Northern California Amid King Tides

Wed Jan 07 2026 06:27:18 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A rare combination of heavy rainfall and record-breaking King Tides led to significant flooding across Northern California, prompting road closures and rescue operations over the weekend.

Parts of Northern California experienced severe flooding over the weekend due to a combination of heavy rain and record King Tides. Authorities reported road closures and rescues in areas flooded with water up to four feet deep, as residents were urged to stay indoors until conditions improved. The National Weather Service warned of ongoing rain throughout the week, while neighboring areas also faced closures from mudslides and devastating incidents, including a death from creek flooding.

Northern California faced unprecedented flooding on Saturday as heavy rains coincided with record-breaking King Tides, prompting a series of road closures and rescue operations. The Marin County Sheriff reported that a 15-mile stretch from the Sausalito area to San Rafael was significantly affected, with water levels reaching 3 to 4 feet deep.

There is a lot of water in the roadways, said Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins, highlighting the combination of heavy rainfall and high tides as a severe factor in the flooding crisis. Residents were witnessed navigating through knee-high waters, with some even kayaking through the inundated streets as local authorities urged them to stay indoors.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the San Francisco area until late Saturday afternoon and an advisory extending through Sunday, noting that additional rain is expected through the upcoming week. As conditions deteriorated, Santa Barbara County reported further closures due to rising floodwaters and mudslides, with tragic reports of a fatality linked to the storm surge.

King Tides occur when the sun, moon, and Earth align, with the moon at its closest proximity to our planet, resulting in a stronger gravitational influence. This natural phenomenon, especially in combination with heavy rainfall, has led to considerable challenges for Northern California communities.