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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Guardian staff and agency

Rare blue supermoon could raise tides to exacerbate Idalia storm surge

orange-y moon in a purple sky
While a supermoon can make for a spectacular backdrop in photos of landmarks around the world, its intensified gravitational pull also makes tides higher. Photograph: Shutterstock

A rare blue supermoon could raise tides above normal just as Hurricane Idalia smashes its way across Florida’s west coast, exacerbating flooding from the storm.

The moon will be closest to the Earth on Wednesday, the day Idalia made landfall in Florida. While a supermoon can make for a spectacular backdrop in photos of landmarks around the world, its intensified gravitational pull also makes tides higher.

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