moon, venus, jupiter conjunction + spring tides.Connection?

[Shearwater]

The Med Sea has been deeper the past few days than normal, about 25 cms deeper soundings at the marina berth than we normally have. I am sure the Med has tides, given the huge amount of water, but this current increase is not diurnal; it's there all the time. The sand spit we look down upon from 5kms inland and 180 metres asl has been a awater washed puddle instead of its normal sandy natural park. Atmospheric pressure is low (993 at time of writing). Can anyone explain this extended high tide please.

 

[BrendanS]

Venus and Jupiter have an infinitesimal effect on tides. There was a large debate on the forums about the alignment of the planets some years back, and I looked up the relative effects on tides of the planets, and compared to the moon, you can pretty much rule out any of them having any effect at all.

Can't help with current high tides though

 

[damo]

You may find this link instructive /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Response of the Mediterranean mean sea level to atmospheric pressure forcing

And further to what Brendan said, a scientist on the radio said that the cumulative gravitational effect of all the planets in alignment was about the same as a 747 flying at 40000'!

 

[VicS]

Outside the med a pressure of 993 would just about explain it (in the absence of any meteorological effects) tidal heights , depths etc are based on an average pressure of 1013mb so a pressure 20mb lower would be expected to raise the water level locally by 20cm approx.

An enclosed ocean like the med is special case though i guess.

 

[johnalison]

They're all wrong - we're all doooomed,

 

[chrisc]

does this co-incide with a high pressure region on the other end of the MED?

 

[Shearwater]

hmmm.... 1028 over Black Sea (-ish), 1023 over Libya/Egypt (-ish); a connection you thinks?

 

[William_H]

Certainly the low baro pressure will cause higher tides which do not rise and fall on the usual daily basis. However as the link suggests it is never as simple as that. The local winds also can build up a higher tide if they are blowing onto shore.

Hence here in Perth Oz we get generally lower tides in summer because pressure is generally higher but with lower tides in morning with common off the shore winds which then turn to a strong on to the shore wind in the afternoon causing tide to rise.
The old moon doesn't get so much say here in tides so predictions are only slightly useful. Certainly Venus and Jupiter can be ignored.

olewill