King Tides Roll In: Monk Seal Slows Traffic on Honoapiʻilani Hwy

June 21, 2017, 8:05 PM HST

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A monk seal came up partially on the road on the Honoapiʻilani Highway in Olowalu this afternoon, slowing traffic on the busy thoroughfare that connects West Maui to the Central Valley. Police and volunteers responded to the report in an effort to protect the animal from oncoming traffic.

SWIPE LEFT OR RIGHT

The tides were especially high today, washing up on the road and came amid a special weather statement issued by the National Weather Service, advising the public of coastal flooding due to the next king tide event rolling in to the islands.

“King tides” were forecast to occur over a couple days with the first affecting the islands around the Memorial Day weekend on May 26. This latest king tide event is forecast for the days leading up to and June 23, and the third event of the season will occur around July 21, 2017.

The National Weather Service says coastal flooding associated with the king tides will become a possibility each day going into the upcoming weekend, especially along south facing shores due to elevated surf. The best chance for coastal flooding impacts will be through the afternoon periods around the times of the peak daily tides.

The agency says impacts will include flooding of beaches that are normally dry, due to a combination of wave run-up from the surf along south facing shores and higher than normal water levels. Ocean water could also inundate the typically vulnerable low-lying roads, docks, boat ramps and other coastal infrastructure.

The NWS reports that the potential for coastal flooding will begin to lower later in the weekend and early next week as the peak daily tides and surf steadily trend down.