Higher than high tides

As you are already aware we are now at some of the highest tide cycles we will face in the season. It is a critical time for Least Terns as they have nests all over the state. Piping Plovers were largely able to escape too many tidal washouts, but those who had to re-nest due to predation or who abandoned for some other reason have experienced some more destroyed nests.

Tides are one of those factors beyond our control - mostly. Climate change and sea rise mean these events will only happen on a more frequent basis. The way we mold our beaches and shorelines to fit our needs, often modifying them beyond what has been naturally sculpted, also sometimes makes them more susceptible to high lunar tides and storm tidal surges.

Check out this unfortunately timed Coastal Flood Advisory from the National Weather Service with tides that should come in far above already sizable projections:


Coastal Flood Advisory
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
445 AM EDT TUE JUN 5 2012

...LOCALLY MINOR COASTAL FLOODING THIS MORNING...
...WIDESPREAD MINOR TO LOCALLY MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING EXPECTED
TONIGHT...

CTZ009-010-NYZ071-073-078-176-177-052030-
/O.NEW.KOKX.CF.Y.0009.120606T0300Z-120606T0700Z/
/O.NEW.KOKX.CF.S.0010.120605T0845Z-120605T1800Z/
SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN-SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-BRONX-
NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHERN QUEENS-NORTHERN NASSAU-
445 AM EDT TUE JUN 5 2012

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO
3 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...

* LOCATIONS...ALONG THE SHORELINE OF WESTERN LONG ISLAND SOUND.
* TIDAL DEPARTURES...AROUND 1 1/2 FT ABOVE ASTRONOMICAL TIDES.
* TIMING...LOCALLY MINOR COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN THE MOST
  VULNERABLE LOCATIONS DURING THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE THIS
  MORNING...BUT WIDESPREAD MINOR TO LOCALLY MODERATE COASTAL
  FLOODING IS EXPECTED ALONG VULNERABLE LOCATIONS DURING THE TIMES
  HIGH TIDE TONIGHT.
* IMPACTS...MAINLY MINOR ROADWAY FLOODING AND MINOR OVERLAND
  INUNDATION IS EXPECTED IN VULNERABLE AREAS TONIGHT. LOCALIZED
  AREAS MAY SEE ROADS BECOME IMPASSABLE AND MODERATE OVERLAND
  INUNDATION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY INDICATES THAT ONSHORE WINDS AND TIDES
WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE FLOODING OF LOW AREAS ALONG THE SHORE.
&&
...WESTERN L.I. SOUND WATER LEVELS FOR TONIGHT...

COASTAL............TIME OF......FORECAST TOTAL.....FLOOD.....
LOCATION...........HIGH TIDE.....WATER LEVEL.......CATEGORY..
...................................(MLLW)....................
KINGS POINT NY......1257 AM.........10.7...........MINOR.....
GLEN COVE NY.........104 AM.........10.6...........MINOR.....
STAMFORD CT.........1258 AM.........10.6...........MINOR.....
BRIDGEPORT CT.......1255 AM.........10.0...........MINOR.....
NEW HAVEN CT........1250 AM..........9.2...........MODERATE..


Keep your fingers crossed!


Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.