First supermoon, now ‘supertide’

The high tide at Worthing Pier in January 2014. Picture by Karl Dimmock

Southern Water has issued the warning after the Environment Agency predicted that ‘supertides’ would peak tomorrow and Wednesday across the region.

A spokesman for Southern Water said: “These are part of an 18-year cycle and could mean tides reach a whopping seven metres above normal water levels at places such as Shoreham Port. The Environment Agency has warned these tides could be driven even higher in the event of a storm surge or other adverse weather conditions.”

As well as coastal areas, estuaries and tidal rivers could be impacted by the extreme high tides. Southern Water is making emergency preparations to deal with the potential impact of the tides and have urged people to contact them on the emergency floodline if their home or property has been flooded, on 0330 303 0368.

High waters in Shoreham in January, 2014

The company is also reminding people that county councils and deal specifically with groundwater flooding, and would urge members of the public to contact them in the event of a flood in public areas.

The high tides are the result of the sun, moon and earth aligning to create a greater than normal force over the oceans.

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First supermoon, now ‘supertide’ – and a warning