Swimmers, surfers and boaties may notice the ocean rising a little higher at the moment. However, there’s no cause for alarm - it’s just the conjunction of a new moon and a supermoon affecting the tides.
The moon takes roughly 28 days to orbit the Earth, while the Earth spins on its axis, taking 24 hours to completely revolve.
![Localised inundations can occur during high tides and supermoons. Photo / Michael Craig](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/JMFUEXFSXZBD5ICZ3LK4C2FEGU.jpg?auth=c599debf2be286096f1af67153faff66a1638200d4ee49ded042a26cdfb416a5&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
A new moon occurs when the moon is on the same side of Earth as the sun and is invisible to the naked eye, except for in a solar eclipse.
It’s widely known the moon’s pull has an effect on the world’s oceans, causing tidal movement. When it’s aligned with the sun, that pull is increased.