Bulletins

Information Bulletin

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

High Tides & Storm Surge

November 13 – 18, 2024

The region will be experiencing higher tides mid-day for 5 consecutive days. Storm surges will also be present on Wednesday and Sunday and will produce higher than normal water levels along the coast. Water levels could reach 50 to 60 cm above the normal highest tide on Wednesday.

Additional factors contributing to coastal flooding includes high winds, large waves and storm surge. When combined these events can create coastal flooding causing beaches to flood, and drift logs to float and roll.

1)        Plan your seashore activities according to the tides. Be aware and watch the rising tide along your route to ensure that you can safely return the way you came. Keep track of time.

2)        Respect the ocean’s power and stay off the beaches and drift logs if the tide or swell is high.

3)        Never turn your back to the ocean and maintain an appropriate level of situational awareness - leave space and time to react to sudden water surges.

4)        Observe the conditions closely before you step out onto the beach.

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve staff will continue to monitor conditions. Depending on the severity of the flooding seas, select beach parking lots and beach areas in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve may be temporarily closed to protect visitor safety. Any updates can be found online and on the LED screens in place at four locations within the park reserve.

CoastSmart.ca is the go-to place to find the Coastal Safety information you need to make smart decisions when going in the water, or even near it. Be CoastSmart and ‘know before you go’ near the water.