If you're headed to the beach this weekend, you may notice the especially high and low tides.
These tides — named "king tides" — occur when the Sun, Earth and Moon are in alignment and the Moon is at its closest point to the Earth, according to the website of the North Carolina King Tides Project.
Researchers say studying king tides allows them to understand how rising sea levels will affect coastal communities in the future.
To learn more about king tides, visit the National Ocean Service website.
