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Astronomical High Tide Will Boost Water Levels By About A Foot This Weekend

MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. (CBS) - High tides around here will be a tad higher than normal over the next couple of days. Blame the alignment of the planets.

It happens when the earth sun and moon get as close to one another as they will all year, this is commonly called astronomical high tide. So what should we expect?

"We're looking at tides that are only going to be just a couple of inches away from what we call a minor tidal flooding benchmark," says Jim Haynes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "It's a benchmark where water will lap onto nearby roadways."

No ark necessary, OK? Now today's rains could worsen things a little but not much. There's more concern over a potential nor'easter come Saturday, particularly down the shore.

Some experts, not including Haynes, look at the long-term and predict these astronomical high tides could be the norm in about 20 to 30 years.

Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio 1060

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