Final answer:
For a seaside homeowner concerned about storm damage, a quarter moon is preferred over a new moon due to the less extreme tidal conditions known as neap tides, which can mitigate potential storm damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the ideal moon phase during a storm with heavy winds and high surf at your coastline, you would generally prefer these conditions to occur during a quarter moon rather than a new moon. The reasoning behind this preference is related to the potential for higher tides due to the alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.
During a new moon, the Earth, Moon, and Sun are approximately in line, which can lead to spring tides—higher high tides and lower low tides. These spring tides can exacerbate flooding issues when accompanied by storm surges. On the other hand, during a quarter moon (either first quarter or third quarter), the gravitational influences of the Moon and Sun are not additive as they are at right angles to each other, resulting in neap tides—moderately high and low tides. Therefore, a quarter moon phase would be associated with less extreme tidal conditions which might mitigate some of the potential storm damage.