Some New England states are expected to have higher than normal tides Monday because of the total solar eclipse, according to a Washington-state-based tides expert.
Tides are expected to be within the highest 30 of the 730 high tides a year in places such as Providence, Boston and Maine. That’s within the top five percent of the year’s largest tides.
Jonathan White, tides expert from Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington state, said Providence typically has high tides between four and six feet, but high tide could reach 6.2 feet Monday.
White said the tides will be larger because of the sun and moon’s alignment.
“They are aligned perfectly, so there is no better relationship of the sun and moon that influences the tides on earth than a full eclipse,” White said.
High and low tides are influenced by the sun and moon’s gravitational pulls every day. However, White said during the eclipse, the sun and moon’s perfect alignment allows the sun to enhance the moon’s gravitational pull on the Earth, creating larger tides.
The next high tide in Providence will be at 8:43 p.m.
States within the region should see higher tides within a day and a half of the eclipse.
