Do you ever wonder what New Jersey will look like in 10, 20, or 30 years? Our coastline is constantly changing. Erosion (receding shorelines) and accretion (advancing or developing shorelines) mean that the Jersey Shore looks a lot different today than it did decades ago.

In 1764 when the Sandy Hook Lighthouse was built, it was just 500 feet from the tip of Sandy Hook. Due to accretion and littoral drift (the transportation of sediment along a coast), it is almost 1.5 miles inland from the tip.
James G. Howes, 2018/Wikipedia
Where will the lighthouse be in relation to the shore decades from now? Where will East Point Light be? This Jersey gem is also at risk.
Cape May MAC/Flickr
Erosion and accretion aren't the only ways our waterways shape our state. This photo was taken following a storm in Ocean City.
DVIDSHUB/Flickr

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New Jersey, like many states, is also shaped by flooding. This photo was taken in Hoboken following Hurricane Sandy.
DVIDSHUB/Flickr
As sea levels rise due to climate change, the chances of flooding increase. We've already seen a significant difference between the 1980s and the 2010s, according to ClimateCentral, a non-profit organization in Princeton.
Pedro/Flickr
So, what is a King Tide and what does it have to do with flooding?
Colin/Flickr
A King Tide is one of the highest tides of the year. It occurs when the moon is in a new or full phase. The moon also has to be particularly close to earth (at the perigee - or closest point in its orbit). For a King Tide to occur, the earth also has to be especially close to the sun. These factors tend to align in September or October. This year's King Tide will be on Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th of October.

The King Tide is a good indicator of future flood zones - areas that will flood frequently or be partially underwater when sea levels rise significantly enough. Experts expect this could be 2070 or sooner.
And it's not just the shore that will be affected. This is what Jersey City could look like in 2100 based on expert projections.
ClimateCentral

Before you panic, remember that this is just a projection based on CURRENT data. If environmental changes are made in the near future, the more distant future may not look like this. Still, the King Tide serves as an annual reminder of what could be, not too long from now.

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