Seasons and sky
Equinoctial Tide
Direct answer
Equinoctial Tide: An Equinoctial Tide is a traditional term for larger spring tides that can occur near an equinox under favorable lunar declination and phase relationships.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Related
- Perigean Spring Tide, Tidal Bore, Astronomical Season, Equinox
An Equinoctial Tide is a seasonally described spring tide near an equinox.
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The story behind Equinoctial Tide
Observers linked some large autumn and spring tides with equinox seasons before modern harmonic prediction separated their causes.
Why Equinoctial Tide matters
Equinoctial Tide appears in older almanacs and coastal language but does not describe one uniform global event.
Equinoctial Tide in practice: an example
A coast may experience a large equinox-season tide when syzygy, lunar distance, and local constituents reinforce one another.
Where readings of Equinoctial Tide go wrong
The usual misreading is to claim every equinox produces the year highest tide or ignore storm surge and local weather.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- NOAA Tides and Currents Glossary - Operational definitions for tides, tidal currents, ranges, datums, bores, and amphidromic systems.
- NOAA Ocean Service: What Are Spring and Neap Tides? - Official explanation of lunar-solar alignment and spring and neap tidal ranges.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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Common questions
What is an Equinoctial Tide?
An Equinoctial Tide is a traditional term for larger spring tides that can occur near an equinox under favorable lunar declination and phase relationships.
What do people get wrong about an Equinoctial Tide?
The usual misreading is to claim every equinox produces the year highest tide or ignore storm surge and local weather.
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