SEATTLE — King tides, or the highest tides of the year, are expected through this weekend and next week across Western Washington.
Along the coast, the National Weather Service expects minor flooding along shorelines and low-lying areas, like roadways and parks. As such, there’s a coastal flood advisory in effect Friday.
The weather service does not anticipate flooding along interior waters. But Seattle Public Utilities warned of high tides through Tuesday, as well as Dec. 10-19 and Jan. 1-8, 13-16 and Jan. 30-Feb. 4, for the city’s South Park neighborhood.
Western Washington’s king tides — the peak of a given tidal cycle — are strongest in November, December, January and February.
King tides in December 2022 brought the worst flooding South Park had seen in years, leaving at least 13 homes flooded.
On a smaller scale, seawater swamped shoreside parks and homes in King, Whatcom and Snohomish counties.
The widespread flooding that year was caused by a storm system that delivered strong winds and heavy rains across the region, as well as unusually low sea-level pressure, which amplifies king tides.
A state-led project encourages people to upload photos of king tides or other high-water events online at mycoast.org/wa. The documentation helps scientists, local planners and others understand how sea-level rise and storm surges affect local infrastructure and ecosystems.
NOAA catalogs king tides in the U.S. and other tide predictions for states and regions at tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov. The agency also publishes seasonal projections for high tides.
Seattle Public Utilities asks anyone experiencing urgent but non-life-threatening flooding to call its 24/7 operations response center at 206-386-1800.
