neap tides

Neap tides are a type of low tide that occur when the sun, moon, and Earth form a right angle, which usually happens during the first and third quarters of the moon. During these times, the gravitational forces of the sun and moon partially cancel each other out, resulting in lower tidal ranges—meaning the difference between high and low tides is minimized. Consequently, neap tides are the least extreme tides compared to spring tides, which occur when the sun and moon are aligned, causing higher high tides and lower low tides.