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Strong offshore winds can move water away from coastlines, exaggerating low tide exposures. The shape of bays, estuaries as well as local wind and weather conditions can combine to magnify the intensity of tides. High tides occur 12 hours and 25 minutes apart, taking approximately six hours for the water at the shore to go from high to low, or from low to high. Most coastal areas experience two high tides over a 24 hour period. Near estuary entrances, narrow straits and inlets, the speed of tidal currents can reach up to several kilometers per hour. In the open ocean tidal currents are relatively weak. The weakest currents occur between the flood and ebb currents and are called slack tides. The strongest flood and ebb currents usually occur before or near the time of the high and low tides. The incoming tide along the coast and into the bays and estuaries is called a flood current the outgoing tide is called an ebb current. Horizontal movement of water often accompanies the rising and falling of the tide. During this period the high tide is lower than usual and the low tides are higher than usual. During normal weather conditions the height of the king tides will be similar from year to year.Ī Neap tide will occur after the first and last quarter of the lunar month. When king tides occur during cyclones, floods or storms, water levels can rise to higher levels and have the potential to cause great damage to property and the coastline. King tides occur because of the combined influence of a number ofĪstronomical factors related to the Sun and the Moon, and their The term is now used in North America as well, particularly in low-lying South Florida, where they cause sunny day tidal flooding. The use of the term "king tide" originated in Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific nations to refer to an especially high tide that occurs only a few times per year. A King Tide, is a colloquial term for an especially high spring tide. During this period the high tide will be higher and the low tide lower than average.
#High tide and low tide graph full
Spring tides occur at the time of a full moon. When the sun, moon are in line with the earth earth you can expect the highest and lowest tides.known as Spring Tides) When there is a half moon you can expect very high or low tides.(known as Neap Tides) A "King Tide" refers to an exceptionally high tide which typically occur during a new or full moon period. Tides are influenced by the gravitational pull of the Moon, Sun and the Planets. The extent of the rise and fall and the frequency with which it occurs varies from place to place over a 12- hour cycle. Originating in the ocean tides are long-period waves that move through the ocean towards the coastlines where they appear as the regular rise (flood) and fall (ebb) of the sea surface.
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