High tides, storm prompt flood warning

A quadruple whammy of very-high tides, onshore winds, storm waves and localized-heavy rain could cause flooding along low-lying San Diego-area beaches this weekend, the National Weather Service said today.

Tides are at the peak of the lunar cycle this weekend, with high tides of nearly eight feet predicted along the coast starting Friday morning.

Coincidentally, a major winter storm is predicted to move down the coast starting Saturday night, the forecast office in San Diego said. That storm could bring elevated surf late this weekend, and winds could push water ashore as well.

Local drains may also be clogged with runoff from 1-2 inches of rain that could fall beginning Saturday night, the Weather Service said. Low-lying coastal areas such as Cardiff, La Jolla Shores and Mission Beach sometimes flood in those circumstances.

The maximum high tide, as measured at the Broadway Pier, will be 7.7 above sea level feet both at 7:53 a.m. Friday and 8:40 a.m. Saturday. The maximum tide Sunday will be 7.4 feet at 8:40 a.m., and the tide will crest at

6.9 feet at 10:20 a.m. Monday.

As a result, coastal flood advisories went into effect today for San Diego County at 6 a.m. today, and are in place until to 11 a.m. Monday.