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A king is literally coming on Christmas Day: the predicted high tide of 9.4 feet in Anacortes at 7:37 a.m. will be the highest of the two-month season, through Jan. 25. The next day’s tide may again be 9.4 feet, at 8:20 a.m. The high tide is predicted at 9.3 feet on the 27th.The pattern repeats in the Jan 23-25 period, with tides predicted to rise to 9.4 feet on the 23rd.King tides, the largest tides of the year, are present in winter, occurring when the moon and sun are on the same side of the earth and the moon comes closest to the planet.Tidal height is determined by astronomical circumstances, sea level rise, weather, topography and bathymetry, or sea floor features. The right combination of these factors compounds tidal height, “creating dramatic water levels,” states the Washington Sea Grant website.Information from WSG: https://wsg.washington.edu/community-outreach/hazard-resilience-and-climate-adaptation/king-tides/calendar/. – Photo and text by Ken Stern