Mariners in Virginia are expected to experience king tides around New Years Day, 2014. King tides can impact fishermen, boaters, property owners, and others.
By definition, a king tide is the highest predicted high tide of the year at a coastal location. Unusually high tides may also occur a few days before and after a king tide event. King tides typically occur once or twice each year in coastal areas.
King tides occur when the orbits and alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun combine to produce the greatest tidal effects of the year.
King tide predictions for coastal areas of the USA are available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
For more information on king tides, www.epa.gov/cre.
Tidal predictions for coastal areas of Virginia can be found at:
http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/tide_predictions.html