Washington Tides To Hit Lowest Levels In Over A Decade This Week

OLYMPIA, WA — It's already been a wet weird spring, but here's another bit of weirdness to top it all off: this week, Washington will see its lowest tides since 2009, according to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

As of midday Tuesday, Seattle saw a low tide of just about -4 feet, per NOAA data. That's fairly significant, considering the previous week's low tides hovered between +1 and -3 feet, but the tide is expected to go even lower later in the week. It should hit -4.28 feet around noon Wednesday, and around -4.11 feet just before 1 p.m. Thursday, before slowly returning to more normal tides by the weekend.

That gives us two days to check out some breathtaking low tides, and perhaps even spot a clam or the elusive geoduck.

There are plenty of places to watch the tides across Western Washington, but the Department of Natural Resources says the low tide should be especially scenic at its aquatic reserves. Aquatic reserves are designed to preserve, restore and enhance state-owned aquatic lands, and as such have some of the most beautiful, biodiverse ecosystems in the state— which should be on full display later this week when the tide rolls way, way out.

Here's a look at the DNR's aquatic reserves in and around Puget Sound:

Cherry Point, for example, helps preserve eelgrass and bull kelp, both of which should be on dramatic display later this week. Meanwhile, the Nisqually Reach Aquatic Reserve is home to rare sights like Dungeness crabs and glassy sea squirts.

>> Learn more about aqautic reserves from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.