“King tides” are extreme high tide events that occur when the sun and moon’s gravitational forces reinforce one another. King tides tend to be more dramatic in the winter when storms cause increased wind and wave activity along the coast. These high water events allow us to visualize now how flooding from rising sea levels will impact our beaches, coastal areas and shoreline communities in the future.
Efforts are under way along the West Coast to document areas that are known to flood and erode and/or areas where the high water levels can be gauged against sea walls, jetties, bridge supports and other coastal infrastructure.
To participate, grab your camera and take photos of coastal areas flooded by high tides this December 22-24, January 20-22, and February 7-9. Locations and instructions can be found on each state's sites for California, Oregon and Washington.