The intensity of Hurricane Irene and the extent of the flooding on the East Coast could be made worse by a new moon and high temperature of water in the Atlantic, scientists warn.
During new and full moons, the sun, Earth, and the moon are arranged in a straight line, with the sun and moon intensifying each other's gravitational pull on Earth.
Meteorologist Jeff Masters, director of the Weather Underground website, said the result is more severe tidal fluctuations.
Making plans: Officials at the American Red Cross in the Greater New York Emergency Operations Centre on Thursday discuss their preparations for the landfall on the East Coast
That means low tides are lower than usual and high tides are higher.
Due to these so-called spring tides, any town that sees the hurricane pass by during one of the two daily high tides is especially in danger of heavy flooding due to storm surges.
Mr Masters cited Atlantic City in New Jersey as an example, if it is hit between 7pm and 8pm local time on Sunday, nationalgeographic.com reports.
Storm surges are caused by a hurricane's high winds, which create a 'mound' of water along the front of the eye as the storm moves forward.
A Category 3 hurricane can push a storm surge of 9 to 12 feet tall ashore at landfall.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2030278/Hurricane-Irene-New-moon-warm-Atlantic-water-make-flooding-worse.html#ixzz1W82if55V
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