Tidal Characteristics

During spring tide and neap tide, the tide is higher or lower than normal. When the sun, Earth, and moon align twice a month, spring tide causes a really high tide and a really low tide for that area because the gravitational pull is the strongest. When the sun, Earth, and moon stand at right angles to one another, then there are neap tides with very little range because the gravitational pull is at its weakest.

Each coastline of the world will experience one of the three main patterns of tides: diurnal, semidiurnal, or mixed tides. A tidal bore is a flood tide that is strong enough to produce a wave. Sometimes, when the water recedes with a low tide, tidal pools are left and organisms of the oceans that have adapted to the rise and fall of water can survive in those pools.