SEATTLE — Some of the lowest tides of the year are coming to western Washington on Thursday and Friday, revealing marine life to beachgoers.
The low tide is expected to be -3.2 on Thursday at 12:24 p.m. and -3.0 at 1:07 p.m. on Friday.
Thursday’s low tide is expected to be the lowest in May. However, it won’t be the lowest of the year. That comes June 6 when a -3.4 tide is expected at 11:21 a.m.
Beachgoers who are checking out low tide on Thursday and Friday can expect summer-like weather with sunshine and highs in the 70s to low 80s.
Good spots to check out marine life at low tide in the Seattle area include Alki Beach, Carkeek Park, Lincoln Park and Golden Gardens in Seattle, Richmond Beach in Shoreline, Des Moines Beach and Saltwater State Park in Des Moines, Dash Point State Park in Federal Way and Owen Beach in Tacoma.
What causes low tide?
Tides are the rising and falling of the ocean largely driven by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun and their relative position to Earth. These tides are considered to be very long waves that move across the Earth's oceans. When the wave is at its highest point reaching the coast, it's high tide. When the wave is at its lowest point reaching the coast, it's low tide.
The lower-than-normal tides unveil areas and ecosystems that are normally submerged by the cold, salty Puget Sound waters, providing a unique opportunity for people to check out the tidepools and marine life.
Ferry impacts
Low tides can impact ferries in Puget Sound, causing an extreme angle for loading ramps on Washington State Ferries (WSF) routes. When that happens, semi-trucks, RVs and vehicles towing a trailer could scrape or get caught on the ramp.
There is a low tide warning in place from May 7-12 on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route and the Point Defiance-Tahlequah route. Trucks with less than 14 inches of ground clearance should avoid the ferry during low tide.
Here are the times to avoid, according to WSF:
- May 9: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (-3.2 feet)
- May 10: 11:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. (-3.0 feet)
- May 11: 12:30 to 3:15 p.m. (-2.5 feet)
- May 12: 2 to 3:30 p.m. (-1.5 feet)
There are no restrictions in place for the Mukilteo-Clinton route. The Port Townsend-Coupeville route sometimes cancels sailings during extreme low tides, but no cancelations are planned for this event.