At precisely noon on Thanksgiving Day, tides reached a notable high of 9.9 feet, as measured from the North Jetty of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment State Park. The following day, surf conditions measured at 10 feet — and climbing.

The jetty, a benchmark for tide measurement along the Oregon and Washington coasts, is predicted to see tides peak at 10.3 feet during a second wave of high surf on Dec. 23 and 24.

The occurrence is known as a king tide. Just as the summer months bring cycles of “negative” tides, the year’s lowest, to the coast, revealing layers of life hidden beneath the high tide line, the year’s highest waters arrive during the fall and winter.

January will offer four days of seasonal highs, with waters projected to reach 10 feet at 10:38 a.m. on Jan. 20, 10.2 feet at 11:33 a.m. on Jan. 21, 10.2 feet at 12:27 p.m. on Jan. 22 and 9.9 feet at 1:20 p.m. on Jan. 23. Like earlier cycles, January king tides will coincide with the new moon.

With powerful waves, the tides can create dramatic scenes, but with them also comes the potential for flooding and debris.

Also, as noted by the Oregon King Tides Project, the waves impact coastal erosion. This year, the project, sponsored by the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, invites tide viewers to document the effects.

Areas of focus for the group will be on tides’ dune impacts, cliff and bluff erosion, beaches with limited north-south access and pairs of images contrasting similar locations.

Photo submissions will be accepted online. And while you’re at it, keep submitting images for the 2022 Coast Weekend Photo Contest. Stay safe and enjoy the wonders of the sea.