New Year, New Tides!
Submitted by Friends of the San Juans. As we flow into 2023, so do the king tides! A 'king tide' is the highest predicted tide of the year at a giv...
Submitted by Friends of the San Juans. As we flow into 2023, so do the king tides! A 'king tide' is the highest predicted tide of the year at a given coastal location. Also known as perigean spring tides, they occur naturally when the sun and moon align, increasing the gravitational pull on the Earth's oceans. King tides only happen one or two times per year and can be magnified if they occur during a storm event with low pressure and wind-driven waves. King tides provide a peek into our future—what will increasing sea levels and the effects of coastal erosion look like in the San Juan Islands? The surge of a king tide points out (sometimes painstakingly) where improved shoreline management might be needed.