King tides 'incredible' but dangerous, emergency responders warn
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — With king tides now crashing against the Oregon Coast, emergency responders warn the public that while they may be "incredible" to look at, they're also extremely dangerous — even deadly, if you get too close.
At Rockaway Beach, the site of a recent tornado, residents are now battening down the hatches for king tides, unusually high ocean waves that occur from the extra gravitational pull of the sun and moon, aligned.
This season, king tides are expected in Oregon in mid-November, mid-December, and mid-January 2025. Though they were forecasted to begin Friday, there's already been significant activity, such as a video from Otter Rock on Thursday showing surging tides slamming the beach.
Rockaway Beach Fire officials said they expect the waves to potentially reach all the way up to Highway 101 from the waterline, throwing sand onto the road, as has happened in past years.
"The power of the ocean is incredible. Especially at this time of year when we get the king tides," said Rockaway Beach Fire and Rescue Captain Geoff Grace. "The biggest thing we want people to know is just watch it from a distance. We still want people to come down. We still want people to enjoy it. But just do it from a safe distance."
Grace explained that while the king tides can be beautiful to behold, they can harbor insidious sneaker waves and can send logs and debris around at high speeds. Getting caught in a wave in this scenario could cause serious bodily harm or death.
The U.S. Coast Goard is also urging boaters to check the bar before heading to the beach and keep paddle craft secure. The Coast Guard treats unmanned paddle craft as if there was a person in the water just in case someone is out there beneath the waves. Hence, it's a waste of resources for real emergencies if rescuers are giving their attention to a stranded paddle craft.
One thing emergency responders always advise is to never turn your back on the ocean when king tides are afoot.