Seattle to see lowest tides of the year Thursday

Seattle will see its lowest tides of the year late Thursday morning.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, at 11:21 a.m. the tide will be -3.36 feet.

Then, at 7:10 p.m. on Thursday, the tides will be back up to 12.01 feet.

The Washington State Ferries (WSF) has previously not been able to run because of low tides.

Background: Why were Washington ferries out of service this weekend?

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has issued a low tide warning for Vashon Island on Thursday from 9:45 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.

During this time, drivers of trucks, RVs and vehicles with trailers should wait for a ferry with higher tides for safe clearance. WSDOT also noted trucks with a ground clearance of less than 14 inches should not travel on the Fauntleroy/Vashon, Southworth/Vashon and Point Defiance/Tahlequah routes.

“Tides are one of the most reliable phenomena in the world,” NOAA’s website stated.

NOAA explained tides as “long-period waves that move through the oceans in response to the forces exerted by the moon and sun.”

To see an animation of how tides work, click here.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.