King tides expected in Cairns this week

King tides are expected to affect Cairns this week, starting from Tuesday 28 July to Thursday 30 July.

These king tides are all expected to occur in the evening, with the highest tide of 2.8m which is forecast for Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 July.

The potential impacts of king tides may be intensified by high rainfall, which could worsen flooding during this period.

During king tides, seawater can flow onto roads, footpaths and private property, potentially causing damage to vehicles and infrastructure. Saltwater flooding can damage cars immediately on contact.

Residents and visitors are urged to:

• Avoid parking vehicles in known low‑lying or tidal‑affected areas
• Never drive through floodwaters
• Exercise caution when travelling near the coast and tidal creeks.

Motorists are reminded to drive slowly and carefully to reduce bow waves, which can push water deeper into nearby homes and businesses.

Forecast king tide levels for Cairns (times and heights may vary for other locations):

• Tuesday 28 July: 2.8m at 9.18pm
• Wednesday 29 July: 2.8m at 9.41pm
• Thursday 30 July: 2.79m at 11.03pm

To protect public safety and private property, Council may temporarily close roads affected by tidal flooding. Motorists must obey all road closure signage and find alternative routes until conditions improve.

Streets that are most likely to be impacted by king tides include:

• Redden St, Portsmith
• Tingira St, Portsmith
• Liberty St, Portsmith
• Walters St, Portsmith
• Trawler Base Rd, Portsmith
• Bramp Cl, Portsmith
• Cook St, Portsmith
• Fearnley St, Portsmith
• Parts of Aumuller St (near Comport St), Portsmith
• Toohey St, Portsmith
• Knight St, Portsmith
• Palmer St, Portsmith
• Hartley St, Portsmith
• Hasell St, Portsmith
• Parts of Draper St (Hartley St to Kenny Street), Portsmith
• Spence St and the Esplanade intersection, Cairns City
• Corner of Lily St and the Esplanade, Cairns North

Residents should monitor the Bureau of Meteorology website for general information related to tide heights as well as the Cairns Disaster Dashboard for any additional weather warnings that may affect the Cairns region.