A Neap tide in costal Louisiana produces 2 high and 2 Low tides very quickly in a 24 hr period, yet all other days we have one high and one low. Why does this happen?

Question

I’m familiar with neap tides. It’s my understanding that they occur when the sun, moon, and earth form right angles and the moon phase is at 1/4 and 3/4. Yet this occurrence happens on a waning or waxing gibbous every time. The range is very small and changes quickly. I can’t wrap my head around the science that produces a completely different tidal sequence twice a month, then what you would see play out on any other day

In: Earth Science

Answer 1

There are a bunch of things going on in the Gulf, but biggest factor is probably that any water entering/leaving the gulf has to come from through a fairly small opening of Yucatan – Cuba – Florida. The result is that it can be very hard for the water to get in/out of the Gulf. When the tides are strong (and there is a lot of water that needs to be moved) the end result is basically that the earth spins more quickly than the water can react. When the tides a weak the constriction is less of a problem.