King tides are no joke

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the phenomenon of King tides, characterized by exceptionally high tidal ranges, particularly noted at Cannon Beach, OR. Contributing factors include the Moon's proximity to its perigee during full or new moons, the Earth's perihelion, and the alignment of the Moon's orbital inclination. Recent incidents highlight the dangers of King tides, as two individuals were swept away by sneaker waves after ignoring warnings. The discussion also references Fundy Bay, known for its significant tidal ranges due to its geographical structure.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of tidal phenomena, specifically King tides
  • Knowledge of lunar cycles, including perigee and new/full moons
  • Familiarity with geographical influences on tides, such as bay structures
  • Awareness of storm surges and their impact on coastal conditions
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of lunar perigee on tidal patterns
  • Explore the geographical features of Fundy Bay and their impact on tides
  • Study the relationship between storm surges and King tides
  • Investigate safety measures and guidelines for beachgoers during high tides
USEFUL FOR

Coastal residents, environmental scientists, oceanographers, and anyone interested in understanding tidal dynamics and safety during extreme tidal events.

Janus
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As of late, we have been experiencing a good number of exceptionally high or 'King' tides. For example, this image is from video taken just recently at Cannon Beach, OR. My wife and I visit there often, and this particular ramp is an beach access we'll generally use.
king2.webp

For comparison, this is a aerial image of the same area on a day with a more typical tide. The arrow points to the ramp.
King1.webp
 
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Not funny at all. Hope nobody is been injured.
 
mcastillo356 said:
Not funny at all. Hope nobody is been injured.
Unfortunately, a over a month ago, at least two people who failed to take the King tide warnings seriously were caught by sneaker waves, and swept out into the ocean. You need to be aware at all times at the beach, but even more so during King tides.
 
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Never heard of "king tides" before, but going on a little reading spree I found that the tidal range seems to be biggest in Fundy Bay. Whether there are king tides there I haven't yet been able to confirm.

I linked to Wikipedia as we're in the General Forum.
 
Fundy Bay is structured so that any tides gets bigger as they go up the bay. The bay funnels tides into a smaller narrower bay and the tides get boosted. Same would happen with a tsunami.
 
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sbrothy said:
Never heard of "king tides" before, but going on a little reading spree I found that the tidal range seems to be biggest in Fundy Bay. Whether there are king tides there I haven't yet been able to confirm.
The tidal range is very large along the beaches of Brittany in NW France.
 
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Northern Pacific Ocean weather during the winter months driving the water farther inland.
The waves must scrape away some of the beach.
 
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BillTre said:
Fundy Bay is structured so that any tides gets bigger as they go up the bay. The bay funnels tides into a smaller narrower bay and the tides get boosted. Same would happen with a tsunami.
Scary thought. Than again I figure tsunamis are no fun in general.
 
sbrothy said:
Never heard of "king tides" before, but going on a little reading spree I found that the tidal range seems to be biggest in Fundy Bay. Whether there are king tides there I haven't yet been able to confirm.

I linked to Wikipedia as we're in the General Forum.
It's exceptionally high tides for the region. The contributing factors are 1. The Moon being near its perigee during a full or new Moon. 2.The Earth being near its perihelion. (So, this time of year is when they are going to occur.) 3. The alignment of the Moon's orbital inclination. Since it is also the time year for more storms, they can be compounded by storm surges.
 
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Janus said:
It's exceptionally high tides for the region. The contributing factors are 1. The Moon being near its perigee during a full or new Moon. 2.The Earth being near its perihelion. (So, this time of year is when they are going to occur.) 3. The alignment of the Moon's orbital inclination. Since it is also the time year for more storms, they can be compounded by storm surges.

Yeah, makes sense.
 

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