South Florida Braces for ‘Record-Breaking’ Flooding as King Tides Hit

South Florida residents are preparing for potential flooding this week, but not from the usual suspects of tropical storms or hurricanes. Instead, the culprit is a natural phenomenon known as “king tides,” which could reach record-breaking levels.
The warnings follow coastal flooding advisories and statements issued by the National Weather Service for areas on the East Coast, Gulf Coast and south coastal Miami-Dade.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the NWS said that the worst flooding is expected to occur from Wednesday into early next week.
Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, posted on social media that Miami could experience “record-breaking high tides” from October 16 to 23.
King tides occur when the sun, moon and Earth align, creating stronger gravitational forces that raise the ocean’s water levels higher than usual. They’re natural phenomena that occur during new and full moons. A supermoon will occur on Thursday when the full moon is unusually close to Earth.
However, forecasters warn that wind conditions will make this week’s king tides even more severe than usual.
“So the moon affects the tides, but then on top of that, a northeasterly wind is going to be funneling water towards the coast,” Robert Garcia, senior meteorologist at NWS Miami, told Newsweek.
“It’s kind of like being in a bathtub and continuously shoving water with your hand in one direction. The water piles up.”
Though the flooding is only expected to be moderate, the warnings come just a week after Hurricane Milton, preceded by Hurricane Helene, battered parts of the Sunshine State. Rainfall and already saturated ground could compound the effects of the king tides, contributing to flooding in the coming days.
Garcia advised people in the area to take extra precautions as the king tides hit.
“Don’t cross flooded roads or keep your vehicles in low-lying places that may flood,” he said. “Buildings that are closer to the water may need sandbags.”
For boaters, the NWS warned that “king tides can cause lower clearance levels than normal under fixed bridges.”
Importantly, Garcia said that residents should keep up with the latest forecasts and check with local authorities to see if beaches are safe to use.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about archaeology? Let us know via [email protected].