Perigean Spring Tides Tide Predictions, You Coincide with a Major Can Call the NOS Office Storm and Storm Surge
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Phone: (508) 289-2398 • Fax: (508) 457-2172 • E-mail: [email protected] • Internet: http:/j \\1\vw.whoi.edu/ seagrant Sea Grant Program, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MS#2, Woods Hole, MA 02543 Perigean Storm waves with storm surge Spring Tides and neap high tide Predicting Potential Disasters: How Tidal Information May Save You From a Coastal Crisis The memorable blizzard ofFebruary, 1978, caused coastal flooding and $500 Storm waves with storm surge million in damages to Massachusetts and perigean spring tide alone, much of the loss to coastal prop erties. The storm began a few hours after the moon was in perigee (closest to the earth) on February 6, and the day before a new moon. The property damage resulted not only from the severity of the storm and its accompanying storm surge, but also from the extreme high water caused by the nearly coincident new moon tide, or "spring tide," and a perigean tide. Though meteorological conditions, Perigetm Spring Tides occurs when the moon is closest to the such as those that produced the Blizzard The term "spring tide" does not refer earth .. The moon's orbit around the of'78, are predictable only days or to the season, but rather to the higher earth is elliptical rather than circular, hours in advance, astronomical high high tides and lower low tides which which means that the distance between tides are predictable centuries in ad occur at new and full moons. At new earth and moon is always changing. vance. If you are a coastal property and full moons, the sun, earth and moon Perigee refers to the time when the owner in Massachusetts, or a boat are aligned such that the pull of the sun moon and the earth are closest to one owner, you may want to note dates on on the oceans adds to the pull of the another. At perigee, the moon is about your calendar when a perigean high tide moon on the oceans. Spring tides alter 30,000 miles closer to earth than at is predicted, as it could combine with a nate at one week intervals with " neap apogee, when the moon is farthest from storm to produce coastal flooding and tides." Neap tides occur during the first earth. Perigee is reached about once a property damage. You can find the dates or third quarter moons when the sun month, roughly the time it takes for the for perigean tides-and information and moon are aligned at right angles moon to revolve around the earth. about tides and tidal ranges in general with respect to earth, and the sun tides When the moon is closest to earth, its in several reference materials that are subtract from the moon tides. effect on tides is greatest. listed in this bulletin. A perigean tide refers to a tide that The largest astronomical tides, peri- August 1998 Smlint Woods Hole , I Woods Hole Phone: (508) 289 -2398 • Fax: (508) 457-2172 • E-mail: [email protected] • Internet: hnp://www .whoi.edu/seagrant Sea Grant Program, Woods Hole Occanograpltic Institution, M$#2, Woods Hole, .MA 02543 gean spring tides, occur when spring While damaging storms can occur Knowledge of tidal cycles and tidal cur tides and pcrigean tides coincide. Peri under other sea and tidal conditions, rents is critical for planning trips and for gean spring tides occur at intervals that high astronomical tides caused by the operating vessels safely. are slightly more than six months long, near coincidence of a spring tide and In 1890, the federal government so each year they arc later in the season perigee can be especially dangerous. By began to publish both high and low than the prececding year. For this rea becoming more informed of the timing water data annually. In 1995, the Na son, we must refer to tables of predicted of these predictable events, you will also tional Ocean Service (NOS) redefined tides to know exactly when to expect be preparing yourself for the unpredict its role to be maintaining and updating these unusually high tides. able events of nature. the tidal predictions database and pub- T he term "storm lished its last hard copy surge" denotes the high volumes of Tide Tables sea levels-those not Neap Tide Configuration and Tidal Currents. related to astronomical Currently, tidal data tides-that often accom- 1st quarter are available on-line pany severe storms. moon through the National T here are 1:\vo major Oceanic and Atmo causes of storm surges: spheric Administration strong onshore winds (NOAA) website, the low atmospheric Ea rth http:jjwww.noaa.gov pressure accompanying and from several private such storms. publishers who utilize As in the Blizzard of NOS databases. The '78, major coastal flood Last quarter website lists tidal fore ing and storm damage is moon () casts for the next four likely to occur when days. For long-term perigean spring tides tide predictions, you coincide with a major can call the NOS office storm and storm surge. at (301 ) 713-2815 The direction of the Spring Tide Configuration between 7 a.m. and 3 wind (onshore) and low p.m. EST. You may also atmospheric pressure request long term tide (which effectively con predictions by e-mail tributes to a higher sea ing: level) will add to the () () [email protected]. severity of storm dam Ifyou submit your re age. Because Massachu Full moon Earth New moon quest by e-mai~ include: setts has coastline facing your full name, your the ocean at virtually postal mailing address, every point of the com- your phone number pass rose, coastal flood- including area code, the ing during storms is location(s) for which likely to occur somewhere regardless of Sources of TidRl Data for Mariners and you want predictions, the format and the direction of the wind. The role of Con.stRl R.Bsidents options you desire (see NOAA website tides in increasing storm damage is more Massachusetts coastal residents, fish for available formats and options) significant in areas having larger tidal ers, shellfi.shers, aquaculturists, and The fee for these services is $31 per ranges (i.e., the North and South mariners need to know the times and year for predictions at one location; add Shores, Boston, Cape Cod Bay and the heights ofhigh and low tides. Some $l0 for a year of predictions at each open ocean side of outer Cape Cod ) harbors, for example Wellfleet and additional location. than in areas with smaller tidal ranges Barnstable, do not have enough water NOTE: For readers who do 1JOt have (i.e., the south shore of Cape Cod, Buz to allow passage of vessels at low tide. In on-line capabilities, many ofthe pt4blic zards Bay, Nantucket, Martha's Vine other places, rocks are a hazard to boats libraries on Cape Cod now offer free on- yard, Fairhaven, and New Bedford). during some parts of the tidal cycle. line services atJd assistance. .\ WoodsHcle Phone:: (508) 289·2398 • Fax: (508) 457-21 72 • E-mail: [email protected] • lntanc:t: hnp:// www.whoi.edu/ sc:agrant Sea Grant Program, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MS#2, Woods Hole, MA 02543 Although NOS ceased publishing tide In addition to the official NOS data, Sottrees and tidal currents volumes with the many navigators in the northeast use the • Willard Bascom. 1980. Waves and 1995 editions, NOS makes its data avail Eldridge Tide r:md Pilot Book which was Beaches, pp. 92-104. able to commercial publishers who con first published in 1854 as Eldridge's Pilot • Edward P. Clancy. 1968. The Tides: tinue the tradition of hard copy volumes for Vineyard Sat•nd and Monomoy Shoals; Pttlse ofth e Earth. of tides and tidal currents for coastal the Tide and Pilot Book followed in • Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book, 1998. waters. The three publishers that JOAA 1875. The 1998 Eldridge Tide and Pilot • William T. Fox. 1983. At the Sea's recognizes as publishing complete tidal Book costs S9.95. Edge: An Introdttction to Coastal refe rences using NOAA data are: Many coastal residents, boaters, and Oceanography f or the Amateur Natt•• beachgoers use weekly tide tables from ralist, pp. 94-106. ProStar Pttblications local newspapers or yearly tide tables • NOAA, National Ocean Service, Of East Coast: 3 Church Circle, Suite 109, provided by local fishing supply and fice of Coast Survey. " Our Restless Annapolis, MD 21401 (800) 481-6277 hardware stores. Many fishers and boat Tides: A BriefExplanation of the Basic West Coast: 13486 Beach Avenue, Ma ers usc NOAA's National Weather Ser Astronomical Factors which Produce rina D el Rey, CA 90292 800-481-6277 vice radio broadcasts which give tidal Tides and Tidal Currents," http:// information as well as wind and sea www.opsd .nos. noaa.gov/ pred tide.h trnl Reed's N atttica.l Almanacs conditions. An inexpensive dedicated • 1998 NOAA Tide and Tidal Ct•rrent Thomas Reed Publications, Inc., 13A receiver may be purchased at home elec Tables, International Marine. Lewis Street, Boston, MA 02113 (800) tronics stores or marine suppliers. Many • R eed's Natltical Almanac: North 995-4995 VHF marine radios receive the weather American East Coast, 1998 channel. b:ternatio,1al Marine, P.O . Box For more information about the re 182607, Columbus, OH 43218-2607 More about Tides search or outreach projects profiled in the (800) 262-4729 In addition to tidal and current pre Marine Extemion Bttlletin, contact dictions, readers who want more infor WHOI Sea Grant at the address listed 10TE: These volumes arc available mation on how tides work can find a above.