Serious photographers use tripods to capture crisp images of towering waves at Cape Disappointment.

LONG BEACH PENINSULA — Washington’s extraordinary winter king tides begin Thursday.

This natural spectacle draws photographers from across the Pacific Northwest. Many make their way to Waikiki Beach at Cape Disappointment State Park, considered ground zero for capturing colossal waves crashing into the cliffs below Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.

A king tide is a non-scientific term often used to describe exceptionally high tides, typically the highest of the year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They occur when the sun’s and moon’s gravitational pull reinforce one another.

King tides offer a glimpse of how rising sea levels from global climate change could affect the state’s coastal areas, an observation that the Washington Department of Ecology began publicizing a decade ago. Watching king tides has since morphed into a significant midwinter attraction on the outer coast.

Storms out in the ocean and other factors often add feet to the surf’s height. While this makes for dramatic scenes of ocean power, it also poses a risk to pedestrians and drivers by pulling them out to sea or by dislodging large woody debris. It’s always advisable to watch for sneaker waves and to stay well away from drift logs, which can violently roll in the surf, creating crushing and entrapment danger.

Monitor www.weather.gov/pqr for surf warnings.

These are NOAA’s predictions for Cape D:

Dec. 2 Thursday 10:31 a.m. 9.52

Dec. 3 Friday 11:13 a.m. 9.98

Dec. 4 Saturday 11:57 a.m. 10.24

Dec. 5 Sunday 12:43 p.m. 10.26

Dec. 6 Monday 1:31 p.m. 10.02

Dec. 7 Tuesday 2:21 p.m. 9.50

• • •

Dec. 31 Friday 10 a.m. 9.79

Jan. 1 Saturday 10:48 a.m. 10.10

Jan. 2 Sunday 11:39 a.m. 10.31

Jan. 3 Monday 12:30 p.m. 10.29

Jan. 4 Tuesday 1:21 p.m. 10.01

Jan. 5 Wednesday 2:12 p.m. 9.45