Highest Astronomical Tide

The highest high tide is referred to as the Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT), and is defined as the
highest level which can be predicted to occur under average meteorological conditions and any
combination of astronomical conditions.
 
In Australia HAT is calculated as the highest level from tide predictions over the tidal datum epoch
(TDE), this is currently set to 1992 to 2011.
The HAT and the Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) levels will not be reached every year. LAT and HAT
are not the extreme water levels which can be reached, as storm surges may cause considerably
higher and lower levels to occur.
 
 
See Tidal Range
The Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT) has been determined at places where there has been an
operational tide gauge at some point in time. Generally HAT is well defined at Standard ports where
there is or has been a long term tide gauge. 
Queensland HAT
Site Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT) Reference level (datum)
Gold Coast Seaway 1.91 LAT
Brisbane Bar 2.73 LAT
Mooloolaba 2.17 LAT
Noosa Head 2.28 LAT
Waddy Point (Fraser Island) 2.37 LAT
Urangan 4.28 LAT
Bundaberg (Burnett Heads) 3.67 LAT
Gladstone 4.83 LAT
Port Alma 5.98 LAT
Rosslyn Bay 5.14 LAT
Hay Point 7.14 LAT
Mackay Outer Harbour 6.58 LAT
Bugatti Reef 3.50 LAT
Shute Harbour 4.33 LAT
Bowen 3.73 LAT
Abbot Point 3.60 LAT
Cape Ferguson 3.84 LAT
Townsville 4.11 LAT
Lucinda (Offshore)  3.96 LAT
Clump Point 3.62 LAT
Mourilyan Harbour 3.50 LAT
Cairns 3.50 LAT
Port Douglas 3.36 LAT
Leggatt Island 3.40 LAT
Thursday Island 3.86 LAT
Goods Island 4.07 LAT
Booby Island 4.31 LAT
Weipa (Humbug Point)  3.38 LAT
Karumba 4.88 LAT
Mornington Island 3.87 LAT

he Tides
Tidal range     Spring-Neap cycle     Diurnal & Semi-Diurnal     Tidal currents     King Tides     Tide
Predictions

The Dodge Tide

What is the Tide?
Tides are represented by the periodic rise and fall of the surface of the oceans, due to the gravitational
interactions between the moon, sun and earth. The Moon has a greater effect because, although it is
much smaller than the Sun, it is much closer. The Moon’s gravitational pull is about twice that of the
Sun.
 
Tides are essentially long, slow moving waves created by the gravitational pull of the moon, and to a
lesser degree, the sun. Tides can be thought of as standing waves.
 
The action of the tide is generated by these gravitational attraction forces which cause the water in
the oceans to be pulled towards a nodal (focal) point directly below the Moon and the Sun. 
 
Click to watch the flood tide in a mangrove forest
The Tidal Range
The range of the tide is the difference between the height of high water and the next succeeding or
last preceding low water.
 
The tidal range for any particular site is determined as the difference between the highest high tide
and the Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) datum.
 
The highest high tide is referred to as the Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT), and is defined as the
highest level which can be predicted to occur under average meteorological conditions and any
combination of astronomical conditions.
 
In Australia HAT is calculated as the highest level from tide predictions over the tidal datum epoch
(TDE), this is currently set to 1992 to 2011.
The HAT and LAT levels will not be reached every year. LAT and HAT are not the extreme levels which
can be reached, as storm surges may cause considerably higher and lower levels to occur.
Tidal range varies from place to place, in Australia the largest tidal range occurs on the North West
Coast where the Highest Astronomical tide (HAT) exceeds 10 metres.
The Spring and Neap tide cycle

The Spring-neap tidal cycle

over 28 days. Copyright Marine Science of Australia, all rights reserved