The City of Edmonds is warning residents to be prepared for extreme high tides or “King Tides” starting next week.

According to information released Friday, extreme high tides or “King Tides” occur naturally once or twice per year, when gravitational pulls from the sun and the moon reinforce one another.  The tide elevations will be begin increasing next week, culminating in the King Tides during the last week of January. These high tides are also scheduled to return near the end of February.

If the King Tides coincide with heavy rainfall or unfavorable winds, the impact could be compounded, the city noted.  “It is out of concern for community and the possibility we could experience downtown flooding that the City of Edmonds is issuing this notice,” said Mayor Mike Cooper.

The next 10 days appear to have the potential for significant rainfall. Should that occur, these high tides will combine to prevent the free flow of water from the lowest areas of downtown to Puget Sound. Flooding would occur beginning at the junction of SR104 and Dayton Street and expand toward Harbor Square. The extent of this flooding will depend on the severity and the timing of the rainfall around the peak high tides. “If that rainfall occurs, we are prepared to respond,” Cooper said.

Property owners in low-lying areas near Puget Sound are advised to take the necessary precautions to minimize the impact of these high tides. Sandbags are available from the City of Edmonds Public Works Department. The contact phone number is 425-771-0235 weekdays from 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. After-hours emergency flooding should be reported through SnoCom by calling 911. Some sandbags will be available for after-hours public use at the City’s Public Works Operational Center at 7110 210^th St. SW.

The predicted tide elevations for Edmonds for Jan. 20-26 and Feb. 18-24 are as follows:

Date	Estimated Local Time	Estimated Peak Tide Elevation(Feet)[1]
January
Thursday, January 20	5:52 AM	12.0
Friday, January 21	6:22 AM	12.3
Saturday, January 21	6:54 AM	12.5
Sunday, January 23	7:28 AM	12.7
Monday, January 24	8:04 AM	12.6
Tuesday, January 25	8:43 AM	12.4
Wednesday, January 26	9:26 AM	12.0
February
Friday, February 18	5:07 AM	11.8
Saturday, February 19	5:36 AM	12.1
Sunday, February 20	6:09 AM	12.4
Monday, February 21	6:43 AM	12.4
Tuesday, February 22	7:21 AM	12.2
Wednesday, February 23	8:01 AM	11.7
Thursday, February 24	8:48 AM	11.1

Source: U.S. Dept of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

For additional information contact; Phil Williams, Publics Works Director.  (425) 771-0235

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[1] All heights are in feet referenced to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW).