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(CNN) - Hurricane Dorian is gaining strength and could be a category 4 storm by the time it approaches the Atlantic coast of Florida during Labor Day weekend. But there is another climatic phenomenon that could contribute to the destruction of Dorian.
LOOK: Dorian's erratic career did not cause serious damage as he passed through Puerto Rico
This Friday marks the beginning of the royal tide of Florida, a term that refers to the highest tides in a given period. These high tides follow a cycle; After all, the tides are caused by the Moon and follow a predictable pattern. Royal tide (in English King Tide), sometimes called spring tide, usually appears in spring and autumn (although the term "spring tides" refers to spring as in action, not season).
However, this last round of royal tide in Florida will be reinforced by a dangerous alignment of factors: one, the Moon will be especially close to Earth, an event called “perigee” (remember, the Moon revolves around the Earth in a elliptical pattern, so its distance is not always the same). Two, the fall tides in Florida are generally the highest of the year because the water is at its warmest point.
Anyone remember this chart I posted back in January? Anyone know what might come to visit us this weekend to coincide with those peaks centered around August 30? #KingTides #Dorian #Miami #MiamiBeach #KingTideSeason #HurricaneSeason pic.twitter.com/BQFonl3fzg
- Brian McNoldy (@BMcNoldy) August 27, 2019
"The sun has warmed the ocean all summer in the tropics and the ocean literally expands," says CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.
A dangerous "perfect storm"
All these things will combine to create a massive high tide event, and with Dorian's approach, the situation could become seriously dangerous.
READ: Minute by minute: Hurricane Dorian intensifies as it moves toward the U.S.
"The hurricane will feed on this warm water and become stronger, and then the winds will push all the water, increase the water levels and push them towards the coast," says Miller.
In other words, the two events will feed each other, possibly contributing to significantly more dangerous storm surge.
"The fact that this storm hits during some of the highest tides of the year is very worrying," says Miller. "The actual tide that adds a couple of feet to the height of the water is almost as if the storm were a higher category in scale."
We have already learned that we cannot control the weather and while trying to sensationalize the possible impact of Dorian will not help, it is important to know exactly what those who are in Dorian's path face.
LOOK: Hurricane Dorian is strengthening and could affect the US as category 4
Something like the royal tide could mean that those who would typically look far enough from the threat of the storm could, in fact, be in danger. Miller recommends that those on Dorian's path be as far inland and at the highest possible altitude.
When all is said and done, it is best for those affected to listen to national and local meteorological authorities, and leave the area if necessary.
Florida Hurricane Dorian
