San Francisco flood forecast
Clear today
Next flood window Sun 10:20–11:50 AM
Now
Today 10:48 PM
Tide
4.8 ft
In short
In San Francisco, roads start to flood when the tide at NOAA's San Francisco station passes about 6.8 ft (MLLW). Next flood: Sun, Oct 25, 10:20–11:50 AM PDT (minor flooding possible), with Townsend St forecast to flood at the peak.
Next 7 days
Flood windows
Sun
Oct 25
10:20–11:50 AMPossibleKing tidePeak 7.0 ft · Townsend St
Mon
Oct 26
10:20 AM–12:55 PMPossibleKing tidePeak 7.3 ft · Townsend St, Mission Bay Dr, Channel St
Tue
Oct 27
10:45 AM–1:55 PMLikelyKing tidePeak 7.4 ft · Townsend St, Mission Bay Dr, Channel St +1 more
Wed, Oct
Oct 28
11:20 AM–2:40 PMLikelyKing tidePeak 7.4 ft · Townsend St, Mission Bay Dr, Channel St +3 more
Tap a day for the street-by-street forecast and a share card. Times are America/Los Angeles time.
Since 1996
San Francisco flood history
Days with roads at risk
292
since 1996
Record high water
8.38 ft
Feb 6, 1998
Days a year, then vs now
8 → 14
1996–05 vs 2016–25
Estimates only. Never drive through flood water — six inches can float a car. Follow local authorities.
How this forecast works
FloodRoute combines NOAA tide predictions for the San Francisco station with the elevation of every road segment in San Francisco. When the predicted water level rises above a road's lowest point, it's marked — amber for possible, orange for likely, red for severe. The NOAA San Francisco gauge shows how far the water is actually running above or below the tide tables; that difference is carried into the forecast and fades over the following days. Recent rain raises the next 24 hours. After each high tide, streets stay marked a little longer, because water drains off the road more slowly than the tide falls.
Tide source: NOAA station 9414290 (San Francisco). Updated 10:50 PM.
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FAQ
San Francisco flooding: questions, answered
Which roads flood in San Francisco?
The worst flood forecast in the next 30 days is Wed, Oct 28, 11:20 AM–2:40 PM PDT (flooding likely). At its peak, 6 streets are forecast to flood: Townsend St, Mission Bay Dr, Channel St, King St, Southern Embarcadero Freeway and Berry St. The live map shows every street, hour by hour.
When is the next flood in San Francisco?
Sun, Oct 25, 10:20–11:50 AM PDT: minor flooding possible, peaking around 11:06 AM. FloodRoute forecasts 9 more flood windows in the next 30 days. See the street-by-street forecast for that day.
How high does the tide have to be to flood roads in San Francisco?
Roads start to flood when the tide at NOAA's San Francisco station passes about 6.8 ft (MLLW). Higher tides flood more streets, for longer. FloodRoute marks flooding as possible when the water is less than 0.5 ft above a road's low point, likely up to 1.5 ft, and severe at 1.5 ft or more.
When is the next king tide in San Francisco?
Sat, Oct 24 at 10:39 AM PDT: a 5.9 ft high tide predicted at NOAA's San Francisco station. FloodRoute calls a high tide a king tide when it is more than 0.7 ft above the station's mean higher high water (MHHW).
How can I get flood alerts for San Francisco?
The free FloodRoute iPhone app gives you a heads-up before flood windows in your home town; FloodRoute Pro adds street-level alerts for your saved places and your commute. Without the app, subscribe to the San Francisco flood calendar and flood days appear on your calendar automatically.
How accurate is the San Francisco flood forecast?
It's an estimate built from NOAA tide predictions for the San Francisco station, corrected with live readings from the NOAA San Francisco gauge, and the measured elevation of every road segment in San Francisco. Wind, storm surge and blocked drains can change what actually floods. Never drive through flood water.