California Coast Submerged: Highways, Airport Blocked by "King Tides"

A powerful storm combined with extreme "king tides" flooded parts of California on Saturday. The severe weather shut down a major regional airport and blocked key highways. The flooding happened when heavy rainfall met the highest tides of the year, known as king tides. These are predictable, extra-high tides that can cause coastal flooding. The combination of storm water and ocean water overwhelmed infrastructure. Officials closed a regional airport and several coastal highways due to dangerous conditions. This event is the latest in a series of intense rainstorms to hit the state. Scientists note that such compound events—where heavy rain and high tides occur together—are a growing climate risk for coastal communities.