South Florida Facing Higher King Tide Floods, Worsened by Winds and Rain

Parts of South Florida are bracing for unusually high king tide flooding as offshore winds and heavy rain are expected to exacerbate a problem that seems to worsen by the year.

The Miami Herald and other news outlets reported that south Florida will see as much as 2 inches of rain over the next few days, along with winds pushing more seawater into urban streets and, likely, into some homes and businesses.

The National Weather Service said the area could see moderate to major coastal flooding later this week, including in Palm Beach County.

King tides are regular occurrences in the Miami area but have grown deeper in recent years and are predicted to worsen rapidly as ice caps melt and sea levels rise. Cities in south Florida have spent hundreds of millions of dollars elevating roads and adding water pumps and draining systems, but more is expected to be needed.

Two more king tides are on tap this fall, in the second week of November and again in Thanksgiving week, news sites noted.

Photo: Flooding in northeast Miami after a tropical storm in 2024. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin)