FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — King tides have returned to South Florida, adding another burden to the area’s drainage system after last week’s floods.
Alone, the tides are not a cause for widespread concern, forecasters say. King tides, which happen when the full moon tides coincide with the moon’s proximity to Earth during its orbit, are typically more pronounced in the fall, not spring. So far, there have been no reports of flooding this week.
“Most areas are running below predicted, which is great,” said Robert Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The gauges are not indicating “immediate concerns,” Garcia said, though there is an “up-trend.”
South Florida residents who live along the beach could experience some minor flooding. The National Weather Service issued a Coastal Flood Statement Tuesday afternoon through late Wednesday night for Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.
The highest tides this week will occur over the next three nights. In the Fort Lauderdale area, the tide could reach as high as 3.12 feet on Wednesday and Thursday nights, according to tide predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
While minor compared to what many areas around Fort Lauderdale experienced last week, the tides could further delay the drainage of standing water throughout the region, particularly in areas east of Interstate 95, which drain into canals, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the ocean.
“Whenever those levels are higher than normal, you end up where drainage is not ideal,” Garcia said.
The good news for residents is that Tuesday and Wednesday are likely to be sunny days, giving waterlogged areas a chance to dry out and recover. On Thursday, rain chances return.
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