High tides, surf expected along Southern California coast

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Coastal areas of Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties could see strong winds, high water levels and the first king tides of the year through Saturday.

The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood advisory for the beaches, with high tides expected to reach more than 7 feet in some areas. Tides are expected to peak on Friday morning, with West-facing beaches hit the hardest.

“We expect that the tides are going to be almost the highest that we are going to expect in 2013,” said Robert Balfour, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Diego.

Coastal residents and businesses could see king tides through Saturday, which occur when the “gravitational pull of the sun and the moon are in alignment,” according to the California King Tides Initiative.

In December, Orange County saw king tides that brought flooding to coastal areas, including parts of Huntington Beach and Sunset Beach. The water also closed down a street in Newport Beach.

Balfour said this week’s tides will be slightly lower than those in December.

Weather service officials also warned of strong rip currents, a dangerous surf and minor coastal flooding. San Diego could see the highest surf, with 12-foot sets possible.

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