METRO VANCOUVER - The combination of a king tide and a surging storm that pummelled parts of Vancouver’s iconic seawall Monday are symptomatic of what climate change and rising sea levels could mean for the region, according to an expert.

Oceanographer Susan Allen said that in coming years, the flooding seen in parts of Metro Vancouver’s waterfront could occur outside a “coincidence” like Monday’s heavy wind and rain that combined with the so-called king tides, which are nearing the end of their month-long peak in British Columbia.

“In the future we won’t have to have quite so high a tide at the time of a storm surge to get exactly what we had today because the water will be a little higher,” Allen said. “The important thing is “and.”

“If you get global warming and a big tide and a storm surge then we (have) problems.”

King tides, also known as a perigean spring tide, are formed twice a year when the gravitational pull of the sun and moon reinforce each other. Usual water levels at high tide are 3.4 metres to 4.3 metres in the Vancouver area, but a king tide can reach five metres, as it did (almost 5.5 m) at 9 a.m. Monday. A significantly lower high tide will occur Tuesday and continue to decrease this week, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Logs and debris smashed into Stanley Park’s seawall Monday, causing significant damage to the pathway from Second Beach to the Siwash Rock. The seawall was closed from Second Beach to Lions Gate Bridge as waves ricocheted over its path onto the cliff face, putting cyclists, runners and those walking at risk, said park board spokesman Jason Watson. Most of the beaches were submerged in water. Gates were placed along the path and city staff were present to direct anyone away from the area.

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According to B.C. government estimates, ocean levels could rise up to 80 cm at Nanaimo and up to 120 cm in the Fraser Delta by 2100, due to climate change.

That is why the City of Vancouver is developing a climate change adaptation strategy and a strategic plan for coastal flood and erosion risk in the face of increasing sea levels, water and sewers director Brian Crowe told The Sun last month.

The Vancouver park board is waiting for the weather to calm down before it reassesses the damage to its popular seaside path Tuesday.

Across English Bay at Kitsilano Beach, waves crashed over the seawall and into the longest outdoor public pool in North America. The pool itself, closed for winter, is filled with saltwater and doesn’t appear to be damaged after an initial assessment, Watson said.

Waves also pummeled Jericho Beach and damaged its pier, which is closed while the park board assesses repairs.

“We’re going to have to adapt because we’re not doing anything to change global warming,” said Allen, who saw some of the devastation firsthand as she cycled past a flooded Spanish Banks beach on her way to her teaching job at the University of B.C.