October 30, 2025
Storm damage in Port Townsend, Washington, 2016.
The first series of king tides, the highest high tides of the year, is set to reach Washington shores November 5-9. Residents and visitors to Washington’s coast are invited to capture these high water events in photos and upload them to the MyCoast website or phone app.
King tide events give us the opportunity to peek into the future and see what the impacts of sea level rise could look like in our coastal communities. Getting the chance to visualize tidal flooding likely to become common in the future benefits planners, resource agencies, conservationists, and coastal citizens in preparing for these changes.
Anyone with a camera can help document the extent of these extreme high tides and help us catch a glimpse of what sea level rise will look like in our region. Just pick a place, snap a photo at the highest point of that day’s tide cycle, and share it online. It’s especially helpful to capture familiar buildings and other landmarks to see how high water levels affect them. If you do plan to view king tides, remember a few key safety tips:
- Be extra careful when walking on slippery surfaces.
- Be aware of your surroundings, weather conditions and big waves.
- Always stay a safe distance away from waves.
- Remember to obey safety signage and guard rails.
And remember, never turn your back on the ocean!
The second and third series of king tides this winter are December 4-8, 2025 and January 3-6, 2026. Check out our king tides calendar for specific dates, times and locations.
The Washington King Tides program, coordinated by Washington Sea Grant, has resources to learn more about king tides, including coastal flooding lesson plans geared towards high school students. Visit the King Tides program webpage to learn more.
A flooded playground in Freeland, WA. Photo by Jennifer Sand courtesy of MyCoast.
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Washington Sea Grant, based at the University of Washington, helps people and marine life thrive through research, technical expertise and education supporting the responsible use and conservation of coastal ecosystems. Washington Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, education, outreach and technology transfer.
Join the conversation: instagram.com/waseagrant and Facebook.com/WaSeaGrant.
OCT
2025