What are strongest tides?

The strongest tides happen when two big pushes come together at just the right time.

Imagine you're in a bath tub filling up with water, that’s like the moon pulling on Earth's oceans. The moon’s gravity tugs the water, making it rise and fall, that’s what we call tides.

Now picture your mom coming in to add more hot water, that’s like the sun also pulling on the ocean. When both the moon and sun pull in the same direction, their pushes combine, creating really high tides called spring tides.

Spring tides are strongest when the moon is full or new, which means it's lined up with the sun, like a straight line between Earth, moon, and sun. It’s kind of like when you and your friend both push a swing at the same time, it goes way higher!

Sometimes, though, the moon and sun are pulling in different directions, that’s when we get neap tides, which are weaker. But on the days when they work together, the ocean gets really excited and makes the biggest waves you can imagine!