Wesley Shaw

Summary of September-October 2015 South Carolina King Tides

Highest Predicted Tide: 7.1′
Highest Observed Tide: 8.3′
Predicted King Tides: 11
Observed King Tides: 38

The September-October King Tides series, predicted to span eight days, lasted a total of 21 days! As tide levels were predicted to recede, an unprecedented 1,000-year rain event began, which flooded the coast and devastated parts of the state. Water levels peaked at 8.3’ above mean lower low water (MLLW) in Charleston Harbor on the afternoon of Saturday October 3. Water level data dating back to 1899 is available for Charleston Harbor from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The last time water levels in the Harbor exceeded 8.0’ MLLW was in June 2009, and tides haven’t reached 8.3’ MLLW since Hurricane Hugo in 1989 when water levels peaked at a record 12.5’ MLLW. In fact, the 8.3’ MLLW peak water level observed in the Harbor during the last King Tides event has only been exceeded six times since 1899.

DATE AM/PM KING TIDE PREDICTED? KING TIDE OBSERVED? PREDICTED 
WATER LEVEL OBSERVED WATER LEVEL DIFFERENCE
September 22 PM No Yes 5.8 6.7 0.9
September 23 PM No Yes 6.1 7.0 0.9
September 24 AM No Yes 5.6 6.7 1.1
September 24 PM No Yes 6.3 7.6 1.3
September 25 AM No Yes 5.9 6.9 1.0
September 25 PM Yes Yes 6.6 7.5 0.9
September 26 AM No Yes 6.4 7.0 0.6
September 26 PM Yes Yes 6.8 7.8 1.0
September 27 AM Yes Yes 6.7 7.7 1.0
September 27 PM Yes Yes 6.8 7.9 1.1
September 28 AM Yes Yes 7.0 8.0 1.0
September 28 PM Yes Yes 6.8 7.8 1.0
September 29 AM Yes Yes 7.1 8.0 0.9
September 29 PM Yes Yes 6.6 7.4 0.8
September 30 AM Yes Yes 7.0 7.7 0.7
September 30 PM No Yes 6.3 7.0 0.7
October 1 AM Yes Yes 6.9 7.6 0.7
October 1 PM No Yes 6.0 7.0 1.0
October 2 PM Yes Yes 6.6 7.7 1.1
October 3 AM No Yes 5.7 7.0 1.3
October 3 PM No Yes 6.3 8.3 2.0
October 4 AM No Yes 5.5 7.4 1.9
October 4 PM No Yes 6.1 8.2 2.1
October 5 AM No Yes 5.3 7.4 2.1
October 5 PM No Yes 5.9 7.9 2.0
October 6 AM No Yes 5.3 7.2 1.9
October 6 PM No Yes 5.8 7.5 1.7
October 7 AM No Yes 5.3 7.2 1.9
October 7 PM No Yes 5.8 7.6 1.8
October 8 AM No Yes 5.5 6.9 1.4
October 8 PM No Yes 5.8 7.1 1.3
October 9 AM No Yes 5.6 6.6 1.0
October 9 PM No Yes 5.8 6.7 0.9
October 10 PM No Yes 5.9 6.8 0.9
October 11 AM No Yes 6.0 6.6 0.6
October 11 PM No Yes 5.8 6.9 1.1
October 12 AM No Yes 6.1 6.9 0.8
October 12 PM No Yes 5.8 6.8 1.0

(Water levels in feet relative to MLLW at Charleston Harbor Tide Station.)

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