What are the neap tides?

The ocean tides are caused mostly by the orbiting moon. Twice a month, the moon is in line with the sun and the sun adds its attracting power to our tides. This extra pulling power adds a boost to tidal system and we get extra high and extra low tides. These are the so called spring tides. They occur each month with the new moon and the full moon and have nothing to do with the spring season of the year.

When the sun is pulling in the opposite direction from the moon, we get weak tides which are called neap or nipped tides. The neap tides with lower high tides and higher low tides occur each month with the quarter moon and the three quarter moon.