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jpak

(41,758 posts)
Thu Aug 29, 2019, 02:59 PM Aug 2019

King Tides: The tidal phenomenon that could make Dorian's impact even worse

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/29/us/dorian-path-king-tides-florida-trnd/index.html

(CNN)Hurricane Dorian is gaining strength and could be a Category 3 storm by the time it approaches Florida's Atlantic coast over the Labor Day weekend. But there's another phenomenon that could contribute to Dorian's destruction.

Friday marks the beginning of Florida's King Tides, a term that refers to the highest tides in any given period. These high tides follow a cycle — after all, tides are caused by the moon and follow a predictable pattern. King Tides, sometimes called Spring Tides, typically appear in the spring and fall. (Though the term "Spring Tides" refers to spring as in the action, not the season).

However, this latest round of King Tides in Florida will be strengthened by a dangerous alignment of factors: One, the moon will be especially close to the earth, an event called "perigee." (Remember, the moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical pattern, so its distance isn't always the same.) Two, fall tides in Florida are generally the highest of the year because the water is at its warmest point.

All of these things will combine to make one massive high tide event, and with Dorian's approach, things could get seriously dangerous.

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malaise

(269,011 posts)
2. That and now a projected Cat 4 coming in at West Palm Beach
Thu Aug 29, 2019, 03:05 PM
Aug 2019

Batten down folks, batten down
The only good news is that it is not a very big storm

Leghorn21

(13,524 posts)
3. "one massive high tide event"
Thu Aug 29, 2019, 03:14 PM
Aug 2019

seriously bad timing here

“The fact that this storm is hitting during some of the highest tides of the year is very concerning," Miller says. "The King Tides adding a couple of feet to the water height is almost like the storm being a category higher on scale.".



ancianita

(36,058 posts)
10. With water on both sides of Mar-a-Lago, there's no way tides + hurricane won't flood it.
Thu Aug 29, 2019, 06:00 PM
Aug 2019

There are at least twelve other minigarchs on that island whose properties will get hit, as well.

Wilbur Ross, Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, Ken Griffin, Trump's sister, Dimitri Rybolovlev, among others.

Pluvious

(4,311 posts)
11. If it harms Mara-bedbuggo fear not...
Thu Aug 29, 2019, 10:03 PM
Aug 2019

Taxpayers will pay millions to restore everything.

And maybe with bonus fema funds to cover any lost bidness.

Totally Tunsie

(10,885 posts)
13. CNN is now also reporting that this is an exceptionally slow-moving storm,
Thu Aug 29, 2019, 11:44 PM
Aug 2019

expecting it could come in to W. Palm Beach area as a Cat. 4 with only a 4 mph forward progression.

Hope all in Dorian's path stay safe and make it through this storm.

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