Redondo Beach, WA
CATEGORY 4
WHAT
Moderate coastal flooding is likely, with peak tides reaching around 20.94 ft in the early morning. Barometric pressure is relatively high (around 1021 hPa), which would typically lower flood potential; however, NOAA’s flood likelihood is notably elevated (28.9%), suggesting enough risk to expect some flooding, though major property damage is not anticipated.
WHEN
Primary concern is near the morning high tide from approximately 6:30 AM to 8:00 AM PST on January 5, and to a lesser extent again in late afternoon (around 5:00 PM–7:00 PM PST).
IMPACTS
• Minor to moderate flooding of low-lying areas and parking lots near the shoreline.
• Possible brief road closures or ponding on coastal roads, but widespread property damage is not expected.
Analysis shows a high but not extreme tide height near 20.94 ft combined with high pressure. Historically, similar tide heights under lower pressures have caused flooding at Category 4 levels. While winds are relatively light, NOAA’s higher flood likelihood forecast indicates enough concern to classify this day as Category 4.
CATEGORY 4
WHAT
Moderate coastal flooding is again likely, with morning high tides near 20.88 ft and barometric pressure dropping to about 1010.5 hPa. Although the NOAA flood likelihood (24%) is slightly lower than Day 1, the somewhat lower barometric pressure can facilitate higher water levels along the coast.
WHEN
Most at risk near the morning high tide window, roughly 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM PST on January 6. A secondary high tide occurs in the early evening (around 6:00 PM–8:00 PM PST), though pressure is expected to rise again by then.
IMPACTS
• Minor to moderate inundation in shoreline parking areas and roads.
• Patchy nuisances for travelers in flood-prone zones; no major property damage is anticipated.
While the tide height is comparable to certain past Category 3 events, the drop in barometric pressure compared to Day 1 warrants continued moderate concern. Combined with NOAA’s high likelihood forecast, these factors align with previous Category 4 conditions, despite wind speeds being moderate.
CATEGORY 3
WHAT
Coastal water levels remain elevated, with high tide around 20.75 ft. However, the barometric pressure is forecast to be relatively high (approximately 1025 hPa), which generally reduces flood severity. NOAA’s flood likelihood is 17.1%, lower than preceding days, indicating a lower, though still notable, chance for minor flooding.
WHEN
Greatest risk near the morning high tide, approximately 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM PST on January 7. Evening tides are lower, and risk should remain minimal into the night.
IMPACTS
• Areas right along the immediate shoreline may see minor tidal overflow.
• No significant damage is expected; most impacts will be restricted to nuisance flooding around low-lying spots.
Historically, tides around 20–21 ft combined with higher atmospheric pressure have often been categorized around 3 or 4. Given the stronger high pressure on Day 3 and a somewhat lower NOAA flood likelihood, this day aligns more with Category 3 (close to flooding but unlikely to cause property damage).
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.
Categories 1-2: No risk of flooding.
Category 3: Close to a flood event and worth monitoring.
Category 4: Flooding is likely however, it is uncertain if this will cause major property damage.
Category 5: Likely to flood and cause property damage.
Categories 6-7: Extremely high risk of flooding and property damage.