Calm Christmas tides — especially high this year — in Olympia provide unique sight

Olympia saw some of its highest tides, also known as king tides, this year on Christmas Day.

The boardwalk at Percival Landing was nearly filled to the brim in the morning at around 8 a.m. as the high tides came in. The height of the water in the landing was a stark difference from just last week. Tides in Budd Inlet officially reached a maximum height of 16 feet, 7 inches, according to figures from the National Oceanic Service and Atmospheric Administration.

The tides right now are higher than usual. The reason for that is because of the winter solstice and the moon.

According to the NOAA, the high tides are caused by the increased angle of the sun relative to the Earth, which is at its highest during the winter solstice (Dec. 21). This, combined with the moon being full and closest to earth, means a “perigean spring tide” is happening. This allows for higher than normal tides.

The highest tides in Olympia for this winter season are expected in late January at 16-9.

The high tide provided a glimpse into what shorelines may look like in the future as sea levels around the world rise annually. In the last century, the global sea level has rose eight inches, according to NASA. The rate of rising has doubled though in the past 20 years, and continues to grow year by year.

Surrounding areas were comparable on Christmas Day. Shelton’s high tide reached 16-3.