How many high tides usually occur each day on the east coast?

The east coast of the United States typically experiences two high tides each day. This phenomenon is due to the gravitational pull of the moon, which creates bulges of water in the ocean, causing tides to rise and fall.

When the moon is overhead, water is pulled towards it, resulting in a high tide. As the Earth rotates, the areas adjacent to this bulge experience the second high tide approximately 12 hours later, as another bulge forms on the opposite side of the Earth due to centrifugal forces.

This generally creates a cycle of two high tides and two low tides within a 24-hour period, characterized as a semi-diurnal tidal pattern. This pattern is prevalent in many locations along the east coast, contributing to the typical rhythm observed in tidal fluctuations.