There has been more than enough flooding between Hurricane Debby in Florida and the State of Emergency in northwest Wisconsin.  But one water phenomenon that is not well known in the United States is the tidal bore.  Also called a true tidal wave, bores are waves that form at the leading edge of the incoming tide and travel against the typical current of the waterway.  These are found mostly near funnel-shaped river mouths or small bays, in relatively few locations worldwide.  One such location is the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Canada.  
    “Tidal bores takes place twice a day during the flood tide and never during the ebb tide. A tidal bore may take on various forms, ranging from a single breaking wavefront with a roller to a smooth wavefront followed by a train of secondary waves (whelps). Large bores can be particularly dangerous for shipping, but also present opportunities for river surfing.” ~http://bayoffundy.com/about/tidal-bore/

Tidal bores can cause a rising surge of water 3 feet high that move at 10 to 15 mph.  They can even generate vigorous rapids behind.   To learn more about tidal bores, check out  www.bayoffundy.com

Thanks to my son Douglas Schumacher for researching and assisting in the writing of this post!

Posted under Education, Oceans