Current:Home > StocksSupermoon could team up with Hurricane Idalia to raise tides higher just as the storm makes landfall-LoTradeCoin
Supermoon could team up with Hurricane Idalia to raise tides higher just as the storm makes landfall
View Date:2024-12-23 21:03:23
A rare blue supermoon could raise tides above normal just as Hurricane Idalia takes aim at Florida’s west coast, exacerbating flooding from the storm.
The moon will be closest to the Earth on Wednesday night, the same day Idalia is expected to make landfall in Florida. While a supermoon can make for a spectacular backdrop in photos of landmarks around the world, its intensified gravitational pull also makes tides higher.
“I would say the timing is pretty bad for this one,” said Brian Haines, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service office in Charleston, South Carolina.
It’s expected to make tidal flooding worse not only in Florida, but in states such as Georgia and South Carolina, where Haines’ office has been warning residents that parts of Charleston could be under water by Wednesday night.
When the moon is full, the sun and the moon are pulling in the same direction, which has the effect of increasing tides above normal ranges, said Kerry Emanuel, professor emeritus of atmospheric science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The moon’s gravitational pulls are even stronger when it’s closer to Earth, so the tides are even higher.
The storm surge is often the greatest killer when hurricanes strike. The ocean water pouring onto land could be up to 15 feet (4.6 meters) along parts of Florida’s west coast, the National Hurricane Center projected in its latest briefings Tuesday. Farther south, up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) of storm surge is expected in the Tampa Bay area.
Storm surge that can be taller than a person is a concern with any major hurricane. The tides and the influence of a supermoon can increase that somewhat.
“There’s a saying that you hide from the wind and run from the water, and hopefully people are heeding that advice,” said Brian Tang, associate professor of atmospheric science at University at Albany in New York.
The part of northwest Florida that could be hit by Idalia is especially vulnerable to storm surge because of the region’s geography. The continental shelf extends so far out from the coast and has a gradual slope, allowing the ocean to grow higher as hurricane winds drive the water onto land, Tang said. The shape of the coast in that region – known as Florida’s Big Bend area – is also curved inward, which can focus the storm surge to make it even more dangerous, he said.
In South Carolina, there’s concern that Idalia’s path will take it near the historic city of Charleston and the surrounding area known as the Low Country. That would add water to the high tide that’s in the forecast, Haines said.
“Wednesday evening looks really nasty for coastal flooding here,” he said.
The weather service is forecasting an 8.2-foot (2.5 meter) tide in Charleston Wednesday evening, which could produce widespread flooding in downtown Charleston, Haines said. Even with a 7.5 foot tide (2.3 meters), some roads in the city flood and become impassible, he said.
veryGood! (5)
Related
- Princess Kate to host annual Christmas carol service following cancer treatment
- 2 women found dead on same road within days in Indianapolis were killed in the same manner, police say
- Eagles to host 2024 Week 1 game in Brazil, host teams for international games released
- Better equipment and communications are among Maui police recommendations after Lahaina wildfire
- Giuliani’s lawyers after $148M defamation judgment seek to withdraw from his case
- Toby Keith dies at 62 from stomach cancer: Bobby Bones, Stephen Baldwin, more pay tribute
- Nikki Haley asks for Secret Service protection
- COVID variant JN.1 now more than 90% of cases in U.S., CDC estimates
- Manhattan rooftop fire sends plumes of dark smoke into skyline
- Arizona among several teams rising in the latest NCAA men's tournament Bracketology
Ranking
- Advocacy group sues Tennessee over racial requirements for medical boards
- Tracy Chapman, Luke Combs drove me to tears with 'Fast Car' Grammys duet. It's a good thing.
- Singer Toby Keith Dead at 62 After Cancer Battle
- South Dakota food tax debate briefly resurfaces, then sinks
- Anti-abortion advocates press Trump for more restrictions as abortion pill sales spike
- Tennessee governor’s budget plan funds more school vouchers, business tax break, new state parks
- Kelsea Ballerini Speaks Out After Her Candid Reaction to Grammys Loss Goes Viral
- Gypsy Rose Blanchard to Explore Life After Prison Release in New Docuseries
Recommendation
-
Stocks soared on news of Trump's election. Bonds sank. Here's why.
-
NFL doubles down on 'integrity' with Super Bowl at the epicenter of gambling industry
-
Jennifer Beals was in 'heaven' shooting T-Mobile's 'Flashdance' Super Bowl commercial
-
Where's my refund? How to track your tax refund through the IRS system
-
Taylor Swift drops Christmas merchandise collection, including for 'Tortured Poets' era
-
Who was James Baldwin? Google Doodle honors writer, civil rights activist for Black History Month
-
Philly sheriff’s campaign takes down bogus ‘news’ stories posted to site that were generated by AI
-
Jury awards $25M to man who sued Oklahoma’s largest newspaper after being mistakenly named in report