People watch high waves during the king tides at Cape Disappointment State Park.

Seasonal king tides return to the Oregon and Washington coasts this month.

Watch from a safe distance as thundering whitewater surf crashes over sea walls and high waters reach the edge where beach grasses meet dry sand.

King tides are a common name for the year’s highest tides, which align with the full or new moon at its closest point to the Earth and alternate with especially low tides.

At the Columbia River’s North Jetty, which roughly reflects the tide level along nearby ocean beaches, water levels will peak at a measurement of 9 feet between 10:30 a.m. and noon on Nov. 25 through Nov. 27, according to predictions by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The next set of king tides will follow on Dec. 13 through Dec. 15, with waves peaking between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

In the new year, tides will measure between 9.1 and 9.3 feet from Jan. 11 through Jan. 13, with the highest marks occurring in the early afternoon. A final set, measuring 9.1 feet, will close out the season, again with waves peaking between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10.

During those times, expect to see rows of photographers and tripods at popular viewing spots like Waikiki Beach at Cape Disappointment State Park.

But for the Oregon King Tides Project, even a quick snapshot tells a story. The citizen science project invites viewers to submit images of tidal impacts through an online contest, which can help scientists better understand the effects of coastal erosion and sea level rise.

To learn more about the Oregon King Tides Project, join Jesse Jones, manager of the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition’s CoastWatch program, for a talk at KALA at 7 p.m. Monday.