Dangerous waves pound beaches of Washington and Oregon. Here’s what to know

The highest tides of the winter are crashing into the coasts of Oregon and Washington this week and experts are warning to watch the massive waves from a distance, according to local officials.

King Tides overtake beaches in Oregon and Washington each year on three dates when “the moon comes closest to earth, the earth comes closest to the sun and all three align causing maximum gravitational pull on our oceans,” the city of Cannon Beach’s website says.

The dangerous waves started Monday and will continue through Wednesday, according to the website. The first two cycles of King Tides hit Nov. 15-17 and Dec. 13-15, the website says.

In Oregon, Cannon Beach officials warn to keep a distance, especially “around low-lying coastal areas.”

“Staying off of beaches is recommended for the protection of yourself and others,” Cannon Beach’s website says.

Volunteers will document the waves for the King Tides Project in Washington and Oregon, which predict the tides will impact Westport and La Push in Washington as well as Brookings, Gold Beach, Coos Bay, Florence, Lincoln City and Seaside in Oregon, the Oregon Coast Beach Connection reported.

The National Weather Service in Portland and Seattle tweeted out warnings about the tide Monday.

The NWS warns that flooding is possible in coastal areas. In Washington, the King Tides will be accompanied by waves as large as 20 feet and wind gusts between 30 and 50 mph, NWS Seattle tweeted.

A flood watch is in effect for Oregon’s coast and landslides could follow, NWS Portland tweeted.

People are encouraged to report King Tide sightings to either the Washington or Oregon projects.

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This story was originally published January 11, 2021 at 11:12 AM with the headline "Dangerous waves pound beaches of Washington and Oregon. Here’s what to know."