OLYMPIA — King tides are expected to hit parts of Washington soon, including Olympia and Bellingham.

The unusually high tides are a “dramatic feature of Washington winters,” Washington Sea Grant wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

The tides can provide “a great opportunity to learn about coastal flooding, envision future shorelines and otherwise just admire the beauty and power of nature,” the marine research and education group said in the post.

They also can lead to flooding and pose a safety risk.

Astronomical events amplify tides

The term “king tides” isn’t scientific. Instead, it’s a more informal way to describe tides that are extremely high.

“Ordinary tides are caused by the gravitational pull between the earth and the moon,” Washington Sea Grant, which is based at the Univer

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