Nikiski Tides Today
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Nikiski runs a mean tidal range of about 16.8 ft. This month the highest water, 24.3 ft, comes on the afternoon of Nov 25, and the lowest, a -4.4 ft minus tide, on the evening of Nov 25.
| Low tide | 5:41 AM | 2.8 ft |
| High tide | 12:14 PM | 19.2 ft |
| Low tide | 6:24 PM | 5.5 ft |
Today on the water at Nikiski
Today at Nikiski: high tide at 12:14 PM (19.2 ft), low tide at 5:41 AM (2.8 ft) and 6:24 PM (5.5 ft). The National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday is mostly cloudy then slight chance light rain with NE winds 30 mph, 45°F. Wind that strong can hold water in or push it out, so the real tide may run above or below these predictions. In effect now: Small Craft Advisory. The water at the gauge reads 44°F. Sunrise is at 8:33 AM and sunset at 5:04 PM.
| Period | Forecast | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight | Cloudy | NE 30 mph | 40°F |
| Tuesday | Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain | NE 30 mph | 45°F |
Forecast: National Weather Service point forecast for this location.
Where Nikiski is
Nikiski sits at 60.6833° N, 151.3980° W on Cook Inlet, off the Gulf of Alaska, at Nikiski, AK. The station here is a live gauge in NOAA's National Water Level Observation Network, the reference network the rest of the coast's tide predictions are tied to. It has been in NOAA's records since 1971. The nearest weather station is Nikiski, AK, a shore station reporting wind and, at most sites, water temperature, right at this station.
The tide at Nikiski
Nikiski has a semidiurnal tide: two highs and two lows a day of about the same size, roughly 12 hours 25 minutes apart. This month's predictions average 1.9 high tides a day here. The mean range from lower low to higher high is 20.5 ft, and 17.7 ft between the average high and the average low, a very large tide, among the biggest in the United States. On an average day the higher high tops the lower high by 0.7 ft and the lower low sits 2.1 ft below the other low. For the water around it: Cook Inlet has some of the largest tides in the United States, mixed semidiurnal with ranges near 30 ft at the head of the inlet.
About this station
- High tide reaches Nikiski about 1.2 hours after the moon passes overhead. That lag is local, which is why high water does not line up with the moon.
- Highest water on record: 28.4 ft on Dec 26, 1976.
- Lowest on record: -6.3 ft on Dec 14, 2008.
Datum and source
Heights on this page are feet above mean lower low water (MLLW), the zero NOAA's nautical charts use for soundings. A predicted 0.0 ft low is the average of the lower low each day; a minus tide is water below chart datum, and a 2 ft high means 2 ft more water than the chart shows. NOAA fixes MLLW at Nikiski from the 2012-2016 National Tidal Datum Epoch; mean higher high water is 20.5 ft above it and mean sea level 11.3 ft. The land survey datum NAVD88, the zero on topographic maps and flood maps, is 7.2 ft above MLLW here, so a water level on this page converts to NAVD88 by subtracting that amount. These datums are controlled from NOAA's Seldovia, AK gauge. Source: NOAA CO-OPS station 9455760, a National Water Level Observation Network gauge, established 1971. The tide times and heights are NOAA's official harmonic predictions for this station; TidalMap republishes them daily and does not alter them. The observed line is the gauge's own six-minute water level feed.
Tide stations near Nikiski
- Cape Kasilof: 24.0 mi, tides about 49 min earlier
- Drift River Terminal: 26.4 mi, tides about 35 min earlier
- Point Possession: 41.2 mi, tides about 113 min later
- Ninilchik: 44.5 mi, tides about 83 min earlier
- Tuxedni Channel: 55.9 mi, tides about 101 min earlier
TidalMapMonthly tide calendar
🌊 Biggest flood tides at Nikiski this month: Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 26, Nov 27. These spring highs push water up into the grass and over the oyster rock; prime for poling into flooded marsh for tailing reds.
🔻 Negative (minus) low tides at Nikiski this month: Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 12, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 27, Nov 28 …. These drain the flats and expose the oyster rock, prime for sight-fishing and clamming.
Best fishing times (solunar)
Major and minor solunar windows for Nikiski, peak feeding activity is around the moon overhead/underfoot (majors) and moonrise/moonset (minors). Score is the day's activity coefficient (0–100).
| Day | Major windows | Minor windows | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today 🌗 | 7:42–9:42 AM 8:07–10:07 PM | 12:02–2:02 AM 2:51–4:51 PM | 50 |
| Wed Nov 4 🌗 | 8:29–10:29 AM 8:54–10:54 PM | 1:43–3:43 AM 2:50–4:50 PM | 63 |
| Thu Nov 5 🌘 | 9:15–11:15 AM 9:40–11:40 PM | 3:19–5:19 AM 2:48–4:48 PM | 75 |
| Fri Nov 6 🌘 | 10:00–12:00 PM 10:25–12:25 AM | 4:53–6:53 AM 2:47–4:47 PM | 85 |
| Sat Nov 7 🌘 | 10:45–12:45 PM 11:10–1:10 AM | 6:28–8:28 AM 2:46–4:46 PM | 93 |
| Sun Nov 8 🌘 | 11:31–1:31 PM 11:56–1:56 AM | 8:04–10:04 AM 2:46–4:46 PM | 97 |
| Mon Nov 9 🌑 | 12:19–2:19 PM 12:44–2:44 AM | 9:41–11:41 AM 2:48–4:48 PM | 99 |
Predictions & observations: NOAA CO-OPS station 9455760. Solunar windows computed from the moon's position for this location. Times shown in the station's local time. Not for navigation.
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