SoFla Guide Editors
Is the worst over? If the forecasters at CBS Miami are right, mostly yes. The station’s NEXT Weather team said king tides peaked on Tuesday and conditions should start gradually improving after Wednesday. That peak was a big one: the Virginia Key tide gauge in Miami-Dade hit its third-highest water level since records began in 1994.
How bad did it actually get?
Pretty bad. CBS Miami reported that the Virginia Key gauge reached major flood stage on Tuesday, October 27, topping out at 2.54 feet above mean higher high water.
Broward did Miami-Dade one better, in the least fun way possible. According to CBS Miami, the Port Everglades tide gauge in Fort Lauderdale recorded the highest water level in its history during the same event. That gauge was installed in 2018, so the record book is short, but a record is a record.
The Tampa Bay Times reported that both Fort Lauderdale and Miami saw roughly 2.5 feet of water above high tide on Tuesday. The National Weather Service classifies that as “major” coastal flooding.
On the ground, it looked the part. WSVN 7News reported submerged streets in Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach, “No Wake” signs posted on Las Olas Boulevard, and significant flooding with stranded cars along Riviera Isle Drive. Yes, Las Olas briefly needed boating etiquette.
In Miami Beach, North Bay Road was closed to traffic and the 5300 block of Collins Avenue stayed flooded for hours, according to WSVN 7News. WPLG Local 10 reported that Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue sent high-clearance vehicles throughout the city and answered emergency calls, including rescuing people from flooded homes.
Longtime locals noticed. “This is definitely the highest. It’s breaching the seawall, which has never happened ever, since 2021,” Hollywood Beach resident Wes Mussio told WPLG Local 10.
Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School, went further in comments to the Tampa Bay Times: “This is the highest king tide we’ve ever had. And by ever I mean ever ever, not just since the gauge went in.” That is his assessment, not an official government determination.
Wednesday: better or worse? Depends who you ask
King tide flooding hit South Florida for a third straight day on Wednesday, October 28, driven by a mix of king tides, strong winds and heavy rain, CBS Miami reported.
The National Weather Service in Miami issued a Coastal Flood Warning for coastal Broward and coastal Miami-Dade, running from 5:39 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and citing significant coastal flooding.
Here’s where the forecasts get a little crossed. NBC 6 South Florida reported that Fort Lauderdale’s chief resilience officer, Dr. Nancy Gassman, said Wednesday’s flooding would be worse than Tuesday’s. “We were expecting today to be similar to yesterday, but based on the way the tide’s coming in, it looks like it’s going to commence slightly higher,” she told the station.
CBS Miami, meanwhile, reported that Tuesday was the peak. So Wednesday was reportedly worse in Fort Lauderdale per NBC 6, while CBS Miami framed it as the start of the slide back down. Either way, Gassman was clearly impressed by what she saw. “This is so deep I have never seen the water breach the top of this step down,” she told NBC 6.
The wind didn’t help. WPLG Local 10 reported a wind advisory for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, with northeast winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph.
What it means for South Florida
This was not a surprise attack. The City of Fort Lauderdale posted on its official X account on Monday, October 26, warning that Tuesday was expected to bring the year’s highest tide, NBC 6 reported. City officials also cautioned, per CBS Miami, that “neighbors should anticipate standing water on roads in areas prone to tidal flooding, with some streets potentially becoming impassable around peak tide.”
The frustrating part: you can’t just drain the ocean. Gassman told NBC 6 that crews are unable to simply pump ocean water out. Tidal saltwater comes in through waterways, drainage systems and over seawalls, which is a different beast from stormwater.
She also offered a look at the bigger picture. “At some point permanent sea level rise is going to be at this level, and so we need to continue to plan for a rising sea,” Gassman told NBC 6.
What’s next
Relief is coming, just not all at once. The National Weather Service in Miami set a Coastal Flood Advisory to take effect at 8 p.m. Wednesday and last through 8 p.m. Thursday, October 29, with moderate coastal flooding expected. Moderate is a step down from major, but expect wet streets in the usual low spots.
NBC 6 reported that the king tide event runs October 24 to 30, with Tuesday as the annual astronomical peak along the East Coast. Another king tide cycle is forecast for November 5 to 11, so keep the rain boots by the door.
For official updates, follow the National Weather Service in Miami and your county emergency management office in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach. And if a street has a “No Wake” sign on it, take the hint.
