Nov 24–27, 2026
| Tue, Nov 24 | 6:59 am | 6.7 ft |
| Wed, Nov 25 | 7:52 am | 6.8 ft |
| Thu, Nov 26 | 8:48 am | 6.7 ft |
| Fri, Nov 27 | 9:45 am | 6.6 ft |
Highest water each day
Predicted peak of the tide at Charleston Harbor. Low streets usually see water for an hour or two on either side of the time shown.
Tue, Nov 246:59 am
6.7 ft
Wed, Nov 257:52 am
6.8 ft
Thu, Nov 268:48 am
6.7 ft
Fri, Nov 279:45 am
6.6 ft
Predicted tide height
6.5 ft: NWS "action" level
7 ft: minor flooding
Harbor right now
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Next high tide
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Today
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Live readings come straight from NOAA station 8665530 each time you open this page. Calendar dates are NOAA's official predictions, which do not include wind, rain or storms.
All King Tide Dates
Every day NOAA predicts the tide at Charleston Harbor will reach 6.5 feet or higher. That is the National Weather Service's "action" level for this gauge, one step below minor flooding.
Thanksgiving week
June 5, 2027
| Sat, Jun 5 | 9:21 pm | 6.5 ft |
Jul 3–5, 2027
| Sat, Jul 3 | 8:13 pm | 6.5 ft |
| Sun, Jul 4 | 9:09 pm | 6.6 ft |
| Mon, Jul 5 | 10:04 pm | 6.5 ft |
Aug 1–3, 2027
| Sun, Aug 1 | 7:58 pm | 6.7 ft |
| Mon, Aug 2 | 8:52 pm | 6.7 ft |
| Tue, Aug 3 | 9:45 pm | 6.6 ft |
Aug 29 – Sep 3, 2027
| Sun, Aug 29 | 6:45 pm | 6.6 ft |
| Mon, Aug 30 | 7:39 pm | 6.8 ft |
| Tue, Aug 31 | 8:31 pm | 6.8 ft |
| Wed, Sep 1 | 9:21 pm | 6.6 ft |
| Thu, Sep 2 | 9:56 am | 6.5 ft |
| Fri, Sep 3 | 10:48 am | 6.5 ft |
Sep 27 – Oct 3, 2027
| Mon, Sep 27 | 6:26 pm | 6.6 ft |
| Tue, Sep 28 | 7:18 pm | 6.6 ft |
| Wed, Sep 29 | 7:51 am | 6.7 ft |
| Thu, Sep 30 | 8:41 am | 6.9 ft |
| Fri, Oct 1 | 9:31 am | 6.9 ft |
| Sat, Oct 2 | 10:19 am | 6.8 ft |
| Sun, Oct 3 | 11:07 am | 6.6 ft |
Oct 27–31, 2027
| Wed, Oct 27 | 6:43 am | 6.6 ft |
| Thu, Oct 28 | 7:33 am | 6.8 ft |
| Fri, Oct 29 | 8:20 am | 6.9 ft |
| Sat, Oct 30 | 9:07 am | 6.8 ft |
| Sun, Oct 31 | 9:52 am | 6.7 ft |
No king tides in this year are left on the calendar.
Show earlier king tides (already passed)
Apr 17–19, 2026
| Fri, Apr 17 | 8:46 pm | 6.5 ft |
| Sat, Apr 18 | 9:35 pm | 6.6 ft |
| Sun, Apr 19 | 10:27 pm | 6.5 ft |
May 15–18, 2026
| Fri, May 15 | 7:35 pm | 6.5 ft |
| Sat, May 16 | 8:27 pm | 6.7 ft |
| Sun, May 17 | 9:22 pm | 6.8 ft |
| Mon, May 18 | 10:19 pm | 6.6 ft |
Jun 13–16, 2026
| Sat, Jun 13 | 7:16 pm | 6.5 ft |
| Sun, Jun 14 | 8:13 pm | 6.7 ft |
| Mon, Jun 15 | 9:11 pm | 6.7 ft |
| Tue, Jun 16 | 10:09 pm | 6.5 ft |
Jul 13–14, 2026
| Mon, Jul 13 | 8:02 pm | 6.6 ft |
| Tue, Jul 14 | 8:58 pm | 6.6 ft |
Aug 11–12, 2026
| Tue, Aug 11 | 7:49 pm | 6.6 ft |
| Wed, Aug 12 | 8:41 pm | 6.6 ft |
September 9, 2026
| Wed, Sep 9 | 7:31 pm | 6.5 ft |
Sep 28–30, 2026
| Mon, Sep 28 | 9:25 am | 6.5 ft |
| Tue, Sep 29 | 10:11 am | 6.6 ft |
| Wed, Sep 30 | 11:01 am | 6.5 ft |
Oct 10–11, 2026
| Sat, Oct 10 | 8:23 am | 6.5 ft |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 9:06 am | 6.6 ft |
Oct 25–30, 2026
| Sun, Oct 25 | 7:34 am | 6.5 ft |
| Mon, Oct 26 | 8:18 am | 6.8 ft |
| Tue, Oct 27 | 9:06 am | 6.9 ft |
| Wed, Oct 28 | 9:57 am | 6.8 ft |
| Thu, Oct 29 | 10:52 am | 6.7 ft |
| Fri, Oct 30 | 11:53 am | 6.5 ft |
What Is a King Tide?
"King tide" is the everyday name for the highest tides of the year. Here is why they happen and why some of them flood the city.
The moon and sun line up
Tides come from the pull of the moon and the sun. NOAA says tides run higher than normal around a new or full moon, when the moon is closest to Earth, and in certain seasons. When those line up, you get a king tide.
Charleston sits right at sea level
Parts of the peninsula are built on filled-in creeks and marsh, only a few feet above the water. When the harbor rises past 7 feet, the Weather Service counts it as flooding, and low streets can take on water even on a sunny day.
Wind and rain make it worse
The dates on this page are predictions from the moon and sun alone. A strong onshore wind, a storm offshore or heavy rain at high tide can push the water higher than predicted, so a king tide day is the day to watch the forecast.
6.5 ftAction level: water is close to flood level.
7.0 ftMinor flooding.
7.5 ftModerate flooding.
8.0 ftMajor flooding.
Levels for the Cooper River at Charleston Harbor gauge, measured above mean lower low water. Source: National Weather Service.
What to Do on a King Tide Day
Simple steps for the days on this calendar, especially if wind or rain is in the forecast.
- Move your car to higher ground before the high tide if you park on a low street. Salt water is hard on cars.
- Never drive or walk through flood water. It can be deeper than it looks. The Weather Service's advice is simple: Turn Around, Don't Drown.
- Plan trips around the high tide time. The water goes down again as the tide falls, usually within a few hours.
- Check the coastal flood forecast from the National Weather Service in Charleston the day before. They issue warnings when weather will push the tide higher.
About a week later: mosquitoes
High tides flood the marsh, and salt marsh mosquito eggs hatch when they get wet. Our free forecast shows when the next wave is due in your ZIP code.
King Tide Questions
When is the next king tide in Charleston?
The next king tides in Charleston are Nov 24–27, 2026 (Thanksgiving week). NOAA predicts the highest water each day between about 6:59 am and 9:45 am, peaking near 6.8 feet at Charleston Harbor. After that, the next ones are June 5, 2027.
What are the king tide dates for 2027?
Based on NOAA predictions for Charleston Harbor, the 2027 king tide dates are: June 5; Jul 3–5 (Over July 4th); Aug 1–3; Aug 29 – Sep 3; Sep 27 – Oct 3; Oct 27–31 (Over Halloween). The highest predicted tide of the year is 6.9 feet on October 1, 2027, at 9:31 am.
What time of day do king tides happen in Charleston?
It changes through the year. In summer the highest water usually comes in the evening, and in the fall it moves to the morning. Every date in the calendar above lists the predicted time of the highest water, and low streets usually see water for an hour or two on either side of it.
Will my street flood on a king tide day?
Not always. On the tide alone, every date here is predicted to stay just under the 7-foot level where the National Weather Service counts minor flooding. The flooding usually comes when an onshore wind, a storm offshore or heavy rain pushes the water higher than predicted. On a king tide day, check the National Weather Service in Charleston for coastal flood advisories.
How did you choose these dates?
We pull NOAA's official high tide predictions for the Charleston Harbor gauge (station 8665530) and list every day the highest tide is predicted to reach 6.5 feet or more above mean lower low water. 6.5 feet is the National Weather Service's "action" level for that gauge, the step just below minor flooding. The predictions come from the moon and sun alone and do not include weather.
Can I add the king tide dates to my phone calendar?
Yes. Tap "Add to my calendar" on any date, or the button under the calendar to add every upcoming king tide at once. It downloads a standard calendar file that works with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook, with a reminder 12 hours ahead.
Do king tides cause more mosquitoes?
They can. Black salt marsh mosquitoes lay their eggs on damp marsh mud, and the eggs hatch when a high tide or heavy rain floods them. Rutgers researchers say adults can emerge as soon as six days after hatching. Our free Charleston Mosquito Forecast shows when the next wave is due in your ZIP code.