Tides a question

[mad_boater]

Can anyone explain why the tides on the south coast are only 2/3 mtrs but on the Welsh coast or the Bristol channel are 8/10 mtrs

 

[hlb]

A bit to complicated for me to explain, but then theres CoreTown On the east coast of Ireland with a tide of only three inches or so.

 

[BrendanS]

The biggest tides usually occur because of the shape of the seabed causing amplification by resonance (physics type stuff) or because the tide is flowing into a narrowing funnel (like the Bristol Channel)so the water is forced into a continually narrowing channel, so the water height builds up.

 

[Juggler7823]

Try doing a Google search for amphidromic centres. Lots written about them!

 

[mad_boater]

Thanks for that explanation, it makes sence when explained like that.

 

[gjgm]

and the flow of the seas. Cornwall and Brittany for example have unobstructed flows all the way to the USA, and hence big tides. The waters around the east coast are more restricted, so the sea simply cant move in and out as freely- Think of the Med, as an extreme example.