The weather men are quick to point out about possible coastal flooding at high tide during a full moon…as opposed to a new moon? During a full moon, the moon is tugging at the earth’s oceans in the opposite direction than the sun. Yet, during a new moon, the moon and sum are tugging on the earth’s oceans in the same direction! So, why isn’t a new moon more of a concern than a full moon?
Tides are high on the side of the earth closest to the moon, and the side farther away. They’re lowest in the middle. The sun is also a contributor. These add together to make for the highest tides when the sun and moon are either on the same side, or on opposite sides.
To add to what CurtC said, the reason that high tides occur on two sides of the earth, whether or not the sun and moon are on the same side, is that the water mass itself has gravity, and so keeps enough water on the “far side” (CurtC’s “side farther away”) so that there is a high tide there as well, as the earth revolves through the elongated mass of water, sort of, I guess.
Someone will come along and say I have it completely wrong, I am sure, but that’s what I once read, and I guess it made sense.
And as for the new moon aspect, if it is true that the new moon is on the same side as the sun, as Jinx says (and about which I have no idea), then I see no problem there, as the two “tugging” together would elongate the water mass of the oceans.
To add to what CurtC said, the reason that high tides occur on two sides of the earth, whether or not the sun and moon are on the same side, is that the water mass itself has gravity, and so keeps enough water on the “far side” (CurtC’s “side farther away”) so that there is a high tide there as well, as the earth revolves through the elongated mass of water, sort of, I guess.
Someone will come along and say I have it completely wrong, I am sure, but that’s what I once read, and I guess it made sense.
And as for the new moon aspect, if it is true that the new moon is on the same side as the sun, as Jinx says (and about which I have no idea), then I see no problem there, as the two “tugging” together would certainly elongate the water mass of the oceans.
Hmm… I should have reworded my OP to read “higher tides”! Perhaps it is just that the weathermen either (a) don’t think the public can understand the new moon as easily as a full moon, (b) the full moon is blamed for so much, anyhow, or © the weathermen are in the dark about this point, themselves! - Jinx