Equinox High Tides: Annual Natural Spectacle Returns This Week

The equinox high tide phenomenon, occurring only twice a year, returns this week. Do you know what causes it?

Equinox High Tides: A Spectacular Natural Show

Prepare to witness one of nature’s most stunning displays. The equinox high tides are back this week, a biannual phenomenon that captivates tourists from across France with its raw natural power. Highlight your calendars for the most dramatic moment scheduled for Thursday, September 19, 2024.

What Exactly is This Phenomenon?

The high tides are tides of great amplitude, predictable through a tool that provides an approximate measure: the tidal coefficient. A coefficient above 90 signifies a high tide.

Le Pays Malouin reports that the expected coefficient in Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine, will be 115 with a tidal range (the difference in water height between high tide and low tide) of 13.47 meters.

Explaining the Phenomenon

Tides result from the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun on Earth. Sea levels are influenced by these celestial bodies and Earth’s rotation. The phenomenon of high tides occurs due to the Moon’s proximity, which takes just over 27 days to orbit Earth.

However, the highest coefficients occur monthly, gradually shifting over time.

The Influence of Equinoxes on Tides

An equinox occurs when the Sun is directly above Earth’s equator. These events happen twice a year: the spring equinox in March and the autumn equinox in September. During equinoxes, the Sun’s gravitational pull is stronger due to its alignment with the equator, enhancing the tides.

This effect is intensified by the alignment of the Moon with the Earth and the Sun, leading to even stronger tides as water is doubly attracted by these two celestial bodies.