The Stanley Park seawall was closed between the Lions Gate Bridge and Third Beach shortly after 2 p.m on Friday afternoon, Nov. 13, "due to high winds and a King Tide that will be cresting at 3:30pm," Park Board staff explained in a tweet.
All pedestrians and cyclists are asked to vacate the area until further notice.
About 30 minutes after the initial tweet, Park Board staff took to Twitter once again to share that the Jericho Pier is also closed, citing the high winds and similarly high tides that are currently affecting the area.
— Vancouver Park Board (@ParkBoard) November 13, 2020
What is a king tide, and how does it affect Vancouver?
As The Weather Network described in 2018, a king tide "isn't just a normal tidal cycle – but one on steroids."
While they work the way that tides regularly do, in that they are controlled by the gravitational pull of the moon, the sea level comes in much higher than it would normally.
This phenomenon typically takes place a few times a year, while some areas of Vancouver can flood due to the exceptionally high sea levels experienced during these events.
- With files from Elana Shepert
