Brick Police Urge Boaters, Residents, To Prepare For Tidal Swings

BRICK, NJ — Low-lying areas of Brick Township could flood and boat owners will need to take extra precautions with their dock lines due to extreme swings in the tide anticipated this week, Brick Township police said.

Brick Township police urged residents and boat owners to be aware of the potential tide swings in a post on the department's Facebook page. The township has more than 53 miles of privately owned waterfront, the most of any municipality in New Jersey.

"Tides are expected to be abnormal this week, with high tides being higher and low tides being lower than what we typically see. Keep this in mind as you set your dock lines. You might want to give them more slack," the police department's post said in a warning to boat owners.

The higher-than-normal tides also likely will cause coastal flooding in low-lying areas, which could be worsened if there is a storm, police said.

The information comes from an alert from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which said a combination of events will cause significant swings in tidal water levels.

The NOAA website said one of the primary causes is a perigean spring tide, which happens when there is a new or full moon when the moon is at its closest to Earth. The May full moon, also known as the Flower Moon, happens Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. This full moon is being referred to as the super flower blood moon, as the moon will turn a dark reddish color because of a lunar eclipse while also being at the closest point to Earth, according to Space.com. The East Coast will see it only as a partial eclipse.

In addition, to the full moon and its nearness to Earth, tide heights are increasing with the approach of the summer solstice on June 21, and the mean sea level — the midpoint between its highest and lowest levels — is typically higher in the late spring due to changing weather patterns and increasing water temperatures, according to NOAA.

NOAA offers a website with real-time water levels. Check out the NOAA Coastal Inundation Dashboard for the Mid-Atlantic region for forecasts up to 48 hours out.

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