Mysteriously High Tides on East Coast Perplex Scientists

[The Straight Story]

Mysteriously High Tides on East Coast Perplex Scientists

From Maine to Florida, the Atlantic seaboard has experienced higher tides than expected this summer. At their peak in mid-June, the tides at some locations outstripped predictions by two feet.

The change has come too fast to be attributed to melting ice sheets or anything quite that dramatic, and it’s a puzzle for scientists who’ve never seen anything quite like it.

“The ocean is dynamic. It’s not uncommon to have anomalies like this but the breadth and the intensity and duration were unique,” said Mike Szabados, director of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration’s tide and current program.

The unexpected tidal surge is subsiding, has reduced its reach from the entire coast, and is now concentrated just in the mid-Atlantic states.

NOAA is rushing to study the data in an effort to understand what happened. Szabados’ office is already putting the finishing touches on a report that will be released next month on the wind and current patterns that appear to be correlated with the tidal surge.

Szabados said that two main factors appear to have contributed to the extra high tides. First, there were steady winds out of the northeast throughout this anomaly. Second, the ocean current running from Florida up along the coast weakened. While the associations between these phenomena and the tides are provocactive, it’s too early to tell how fully they explain this unexpected tidal event.

“I’m quite sure that there will be more intensive analysis of this event. By no means will this report be the definitive answer to anything,” Szabados said. “Further assessment of this event should be encouraged to better understand the phenomena.”

One thing is for sure: The tidal rise is strange. Kevin Trenberth, head of the climate analysis section at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, looked over June climate data on wind, atmospheric pressure and the ocean. June was — high tides aside — “nothing to write home about” in Trenberth’s estimation.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/hightides/

[global1]

1. I Can't Wait To Hear The Explanations Provided For This Phenomena.......

by the RW Global Warning deny-ers.

[KittyWampus]

19. did you read the second sentence? This isn't linked to melting ice caps.

[madokie]

2. Could it possibly be that the moon is closer to the earth right now?

Plus isn't the gravitational pull of the moon what causes the tides to begin with? I don't know and I'm only asking

[Canuckistanian]

9. No, the moon isn't getting closer

Astronomers would have noticed that long before it affected our tides.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. That would be completely predictable

so no, I don't think it can be that. The moon's gravity is the main component of tides, but the actual height of water at a place is also affected by the Sun's gravity, wind, atmospheric pressure, and currents.

[madokie]

14. I know that wind can have an effect

I used to fish a little pumped back lake that had no natural creek or stream running into it and one day I was fishing way back in the back of one of the coves and while taking a noon lunch break I noticed that the water was rising and falling by about 6 to 8 inches in about a ten minute cycle and at first it puzzled me but then I realized that the wind was making the water in that lake shift back and forth like it was in a pall and I was moving it from one side to another. So yes I can see how the wind can or could be the cause of that.

http://www.poe-digital.com/poe/200605/?pg=8

[JHB]

13. If that were the case, they wouldn't be perplexed.

Yes, it's the gravitation of the moon (and to a much lesser extent because it's so much farther away, the Sun) that causes the tides in the first place. And we've had laser-reflectors on the moon since the Apolo missions, so we have some 40 years of precision distance measurments. Not to mention that the distance of the moon isn't something that changes quickly or unpredictably.

If this were a factor, it's something they'd be able to track pretty easily. If thery're "perplexed", I would gather there's some less-easily-accounted-for factor at work.

[Are_grits_groceries]

3. It's because

Gawd is unhappy with the East coast, and he is making the water higher to wash the sin away.

[madokie]

4. Why is she so mean?

for crying out loud.

[Are_grits_groceries]

5. My post would be the fundie answer.

They're mean so their god is mean??

[madokie]

7. I know

but I like reply #6 best

[taterguy]

6. Maybe God likes surfers

[Are_grits_groceries]

16. Duuuuuuuuuude!!!!!!!! nt

[RadiationTherapy]

8. LEVIATHAN RISES!! A pyramid with a giant eye in the middle!

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Anyone know if this is higher at all states of tide, or just higher high tides? (nt)

[melm00se]

12. there was an ocean tides

guy on the radio the other morning and he indicated that:

there is/was a low pressure zone of the coast (specifically of NC) and that caused an increase in the in shore flow of water
AND
the sun and the moon were in alignment (which is what caused the eclipse a couple of weeks ago) and created a situation of increase gravitational pull thus higher tides.

the 2 together caused an increase in tide height. he indicated that in a couple of more weeks this will settle down and this will get back to normal.

[TheCowsCameHome]

15. This happens when Rush Limbaugh goes swimming.

[FarCenter]

17. Knock wood, but there have been no hurricanes so far

And no hurricane activity in the tropical Atlantic all the way to Africa.

Not to say that things can't change a lot in September-November.

[The Straight Story]

18. Well, you just cursed em

Now we will have more and stronger storms! ;)

[bobw999]

20. Trade winds in the Atlantic may be stronger.

Would have to look at a chart real quick. I believe this is the reason we've had a slow hurricane season as well (though its not just the Atlantic...its the WHOLE North Hemisphere that's down).

[bobw999]

21. Or not

Looks like LOWER sea level pressures which would mean weaker trade winds. Notice the deep purple over the Northeast...you can tell there has been a trough sitting over there and is something seen in a negative NAO cycle. We should get a positive signal later this summer and maybe the Northeast will dry out.