Raglan has red alert tides for the next three days. Storm-tide red alerts are the highest high tide dates (aka king tides) that Emergency Managers and Coastal Hazard Managers note in their diaries and keep an eye on adverse weather (low barometric pressure, onshore winds), river levels and sea conditions (waves and swell).
A storm is set to hit Coromandel on Thursday 4th and it will also effect Raglan from late afternoon on Thursday. Heavy rain and gales are set to follow on Thursday night as a subtropical low rolls in from the northern Tasman Sea.
The storm system coincides with particularly high tides – heightening the risk of coastal flooding and inundation.
Principal scientist for NIWA, Chris Brandolino, said although king tides are predictable, an unusually strong low is not. He said the conditions must align to create a “perfect storm”. It includes a high tide relative to onshore winds, big waves and an unusually low pressure.
“They don’t have to occur at the same time but there has to be some overlap. We can predict tides like years in advance, but because we have a king tide late this week and it’s occurring at the same time that an usually strong low pressure will be moving toward and affecting the country – that puts us at a higher risk for coastal flooding and coastal inundation.”
“Depending on what the conditions are, the highest tide in Raglan will probably occur on Thursday around midday … that will be something to watch.”
This is when the highest tide combines with the storm, although it may be on Friday when rainfall from the storm flows into the harbour. The wind forecast is easterly 15 knots, becoming late Thursday southerly 25 knots offshore, then early Friday southwest 30 knots everywhere, and easing Saturday southwest 15 knots. Sea rough for a time. Turning Friday northerly 40 knots. Southwest swell becoming heavy for a time Saturday.
So stay safe and keep a eye on tide levels over the next few days.
Predicted red alert tides for Raglan are:
| Date | Time | Tide Height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-01-03 | 05:03 | 0.12 |
| 2018-01-03 | 11:18 | 3.71 |
| 2018-01-03 | 17:31 | 0.18 |
| 2018-01-03 | 23:40 | 3.61 |
| 2018-01-04 | 05:52 | 0.12 |
| 2018-01-04 | 12:07 | 3.71 |
| 2018-01-04 | 18:20 | 0.19 |
| 2018-01-05 | 00:30 | 3.55 |
| 2018-01-05 | 06:40 | 0.20 |
| 2018-01-05 | 12:55 | 3.63 |
| 2018-01-05 | 19:10 | 0.28 |