King tides, spring tides and neap tides explained

If you fish, surf or just like a wide beach, the size of the tide matters as much as its timing. This guide explains the monthly tide cycle in plain English, shows it with a month of real NOAA predictions from Atlantic City, and lists the biggest predicted high tides coming up on the Jersey Shore.

Spring tides: not about the season

NOAA is clear that a spring tide "has nothing to do with the season of spring." The name comes from the tide "springing forth" (NOAA: spring and neap tides). Here is what happens:

• At a new moon the moon sits between the Earth and the sun; at a full moon the Earth sits between the moon and the sun.
• Either way, the sun's pull adds to the moon's, so the ocean bulges a little more than usual.
• That makes high tides a little higher and low tides a little lower than average: a bigger tide range.

Neap tides: the quiet week

About seven days after a spring tide, the sun and moon are at right angles to each other as seen from Earth (first and third quarter moons). The sun's pull now partly cancels the moon's, so high tides are a little lower and low tides a little higher than average. The range shrinks and the water moves more gently.

See it in real data

The chart below shows the daily tide range at Atlantic City (Ocean), NJ for every day of October 2026, from NOAA predictions. You can see the range swell around the new moon (October 10) and the full moon (October 26), and shrink around the quarter moons.

Notice that the late-October spring tides are bigger than the mid-month ones. That's the moon's distance at work: the full moon on October 26 came two days before the moon's closest approach to Earth (perigee) on October 28.

Perigee, apogee and "perigean spring tides"

The moon's orbit is an ellipse. NOAA explains that about once every 28 days the moon reaches perigee, its closest point to Earth, and the tide range increases. About 14 days later it reaches apogee, its farthest point, and the range decreases (NOAA: perigean spring tides).

When a new or full moon falls close to perigee, which NOAA says typically happens 6 to 8 times a year, you get a perigean spring tide. NOAA notes it is "not uncommon" for high tides then to be more than a foot higher than spring tides near apogee, though the difference depends on the location and its tide range.

So what is a king tide?

NOAA calls "king tide" a "popular, non-scientific term" for exceptionally high tides. These typically come around a new or full moon when the moon is at perigee, or during particular seasons in different parts of the country (NOAA: what is a king tide?). The seasonal part matters: NOAA notes that seasonal changes in water level, such as the thermal expansion of warmer water, mean some of the highest tides of the year are not perigean spring tides.

You can see both effects at Atlantic City. Here is the highest predicted high tide in each month of 2026:

In NOAA's 2026 predictions for this station, the biggest highs cluster from May to July and again in October and November, peaking at about 5.7 ft above MLLW on June 15, 2026. That is roughly a foot above the station's average higher high water (4.6 ft). These are predictions only. Real water levels can run much higher when wind and storms pile water against the coast.

The next big tides on the Jersey Shore

Here are the biggest predicted high tides at Atlantic City over the next 12 months, updated every time the site rebuilds. Other Jersey Shore ocean stations, such as Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock, NJ and Cape May, Atlantic Ocean, NJ, follow the same new-moon/full-moon rhythm, though their times and heights differ.

The 6 highest predicted high tides at Atlantic City (Ocean) in the 12 months from October 24, 2026 (one per spring-tide cluster), from NOAA predictions in feet above MLLW. For comparison, the station's average higher high water (MHHW) is 4.6 ft above MLLW.

King tides and flooding

A king tide doesn't automatically mean flooding. NOAA explains that perigean spring tides, combined with seasonal changes in the tide and mean sea level, can cause minor coastal flooding in some low-lying areas, often called "high tide flooding" or "nuisance flooding." Major coastal flooding usually comes from strong onshore winds and pressure changes during a coastal storm, and a storm that hits during a perigean spring tide can make flooding much worse than it otherwise would have been. NOAA also expects minor high tide flooding to become more frequent as sea level rises (NOAA).

For flood risk where you are, check the National Weather Service coastal flood statements for your area (for the Jersey Shore, NWS Mount Holly) and NOAA's high tide flooding outlooks. Don't drive through flooded streets: salt water is hard on cars, and the depth is hard to judge.

What spring, neap and king tides mean for you

Anglers

Spring tides move more water, so inlet and channel currents run harder and the beach changes more between high and low. Neap tides are gentler. Many anglers find certain spots fish better on one or the other; keep notes in your log. See best tide for surf fishing.

Surfers

Spring tides make the swings more extreme: very low lows can make bars close out and strengthen low-tide rip currents, and very high highs can swamp the bars. Neap weeks can keep a break working longer. See best tide for surfing.

Beachgoers and beachcombers

The lowest tides of the month come with the spring tides too, which makes them the best time to explore sandbars and tide lines. Our beach pages show "This week's lowest predicted tide." On king-tide highs, the dry beach can get very narrow, so set up well back and keep an eye on the water.

Check this week's highs and lows for your beach: Atlantic City, NJ, Long Beach Island, NJ, Ocean City, NJ, Cape May, NJ, Rehoboth Beach, DE, Ocean City, MD, Virginia Beach, VA, Nags Head, NC, or browse all New Jersey tide stations.

FAQ

What is a king tide?

King tide is a popular, non-scientific term for exceptionally high tides. According to NOAA they usually happen around a new or full moon when the moon is at perigee, its closest point to Earth, or during seasons when water levels run higher. NOAA calls new or full moons near perigee "perigean spring tides" and says they occur about 6 to 8 times a year.

What is the difference between spring and neap tides?

Spring tides happen around new and full moons, when the sun's and moon's pulls line up, giving higher highs and lower lows. Neap tides happen around the first and third quarter moons, about seven days later, when the sun and moon are at right angles and the range is smaller. Both happen twice a month, all year.

Do spring tides only happen in spring?

No. The name comes from the tide "springing forth," not the season. Spring tides happen twice every lunar month, all year round.

When are king tides in New Jersey?

They come around new and full moons when the moon is close to perigee, and the seasons matter too. In NOAA's 2026 predictions for Atlantic City, the highest predicted high tides cluster from May to July and in October and November. Check a tide chart for the exact dates, and remember that wind and storms can push water much higher than predicted.

Do king tides cause flooding?

They can cause minor "high tide flooding" in some low-lying areas, especially combined with seasonal high water. Serious coastal flooding usually needs a storm with strong onshore winds; a storm during a king tide is the worst case. Follow National Weather Service coastal flood alerts.

Sources

• NOAA National Ocean Service: What are spring and neap tides?, What is a perigean spring tide?, What is a king tide?
• NOAA CO-OPS high/low tide predictions for station 8534720 (Atlantic City, Ocean), October 2026 and full years 2026 to 2027; station datums (MHHW).
• Moon phases and lunar perigee dates for October 2026: astronomical calculation (PyEphem), checked against published lunar tables.
• NOAA High tide flooding; National Weather Service Mount Holly/Philadelphia.