KQED documented seawater blocking parts of the waterfront sidewalk and bike lane near Pier 14 during unusually high tides. KQED report
Bay Area simulator
Bay Area sea level rise map
Find a familiar shoreline. Raise sea level in one-foot steps, compare with the baseline, and explore how the mapped water footprint changes around San Francisco Bay.
NOAA · 0–10 ft / 0–3.05 m · MHHW
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Why is the Bay Area flooding on sunny days?
The recent discussion follows actual high-tide flooding. Temporary ocean conditions and astronomical tides can lift water above ordinary levels; long-term sea level rise changes the background on which those events occur. An October flood photograph is not a map of permanent future inundation.
The San Francisco Standard reported recent flooding on roads and trails near Sausalito, and local concern about the coming winter’s higher tides and storms. Marin reporting
The county warned that unusually elevated coastal water levels could flood low-lying streets, trails and parking areas during high tides, even without rain. County notice
For the 2026–27 season, the California Coastal Commission lists statewide king tide dates of November 24–26, December 23–25, and January 21–22. Some Northern California locations have additional dates; check its local tide map for timing. California King Tides Project
This simulator does not replay those events or display current flood warnings. A tide reported as “above predicted” is not the same measurement as feet above MHHW in this map.
Explore Bay Area neighborhoods and waterfronts
Start with a named area, then zoom or add a reference pin. These shortcuts open an illustrative +3 ft scenario, not a prediction for that neighborhood.
San Francisco · Embarcadero
Follow the waterfront from the Ferry Building toward Pier 14. Compare 0 ft with +3 ft while keeping the same view; recent drain backflow is not modeled here.
Explore +3 ft scenario · San Francisco · Embarcadero →Marin · Sausalito and Tam Valley
Explore Richardson Bay’s shoreline, then move north to San Rafael. Inspect the difference between blue water-connected areas and green low ground.
Explore +3 ft scenario · Marin · Sausalito and Tam Valley →Alameda, Oakland and Richmond
Compare island shorelines, port areas and the East Bay waterfront. Use satellite imagery to orient yourself around local streets and facilities.
Explore +3 ft scenario · Alameda, Oakland and Richmond →SFO, Burlingame and San Mateo
Explore the airport shoreline and continue south toward Foster City and Redwood City. Existing or newer defenses may not be represented accurately.
Explore +3 ft scenario · SFO, Burlingame and San Mateo →Palo Alto and Mountain View
Inspect the Baylands, East Palo Alto and Shoreline area. Bay Trail sections and wetlands provide useful reference points when comparing water footprints.
Explore +3 ft scenario · Palo Alto and Mountain View →Alviso, Fremont and Newark
Zoom into the southern end of the bay. These coastal layers do not calculate rainfall runoff or river flooding, even where those hazards overlap.
Explore +3 ft scenario · Alviso, Fremont and Newark →How to read this flood map
The map displays NOAA’s published sea level rise layers in one-foot steps from 0 to 10 ft (0 to 3.05 m). The reference is local Mean Higher High Water, not zero elevation on a global terrain map. At 0 ft, blue already includes existing tidal water. NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer
NOAA’s method uses elevation and mapped water connections. Blue shows connected water or inundation; green identifies low land without a mapped connection. This is a regional screening view. Narrow drainage paths, levees and recent shoreline work can change what happens on the ground.
There is no automatic year attached to a slider value. This page does not calculate waves, storm surge, rainfall, groundwater rise, erosion or subsidence. It cannot determine whether a particular home will flood. For combined sea level and extreme-tide scenarios, compare the regional ART Flood Explorer.
Read the underlying methods: NOAA inundation methods · ART Flood Explorer guidance
Bay Area sea level rise questions
Is the Bay Area going to be underwater?
There is no single water level or date at which the whole Bay Area floods. Shoreline elevation, water connections and local defenses vary. Use this map to compare broad scenarios, then consult local flood studies for a specific site.
Does +3 ft show a king tide or the sea level in 2050?
Neither. It selects NOAA’s +3 ft sea level rise layer relative to MHHW. It is not today’s tide, a forecast for 2050, or a reconstruction of the October 2026 flooding.
Can I check my own neighborhood?
Choose one of the Bay Area locations, use your device location, or pan and zoom to a familiar place. Click to drop a reference pin. Share this view saves the selected scenario, camera and pin in the link; it does not produce a property risk score.
Where should I check today’s tides and flood alerts?
Use NOAA’s San Francisco tide station for observations and predictions, and the National Weather Service Bay Area office for current alerts. Tide conditions elsewhere in the bay can differ from San Francisco’s gauge.
Need current conditions?
Use the operational sources below for observations and alerts. This page’s news section is a dated research snapshot.