flood tide

A flood tide, in oceanography, refers to the incoming or rising tide. This is the phase of the tidal cycle where the sea level increases. The reverse flow, when the water level is decreasing, is known as the ebb tide.12

Tides are primarily caused by the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun on Earth. These forces create bulges of water on opposite sides of the Earth, resulting in two high tides and two low tides approximately every 24 hours. The magnitude of the tidal range can vary significantly, from less than half a meter to over 16 meters in places like the Bay of Fundy. Tides play a role in shaping coastal landforms by transporting sediment and influencing where wave energy is distributed along the shore.34