King tides bring 'sunny day flooding' to South Florida

King tides—we see them, and the flood risk they bring, around western Washington in winter.

For South Florida, though, they tend to peak in autumn.

September through November is a time when currents and very warm ocean water help lift the seasonal base sea level.

Add in the monthly full and new moon high tides, and you can get what’s often called “sunny-day flooding.”

These are tidally driven flooding events.

Exceptionally high tides can back water up through storm drains, flooding the flat, low-lying streets of coastal South Florida, even when it isn’t raining.

They can flood streets and parking lots, and cause damage.

This round was likely aggravated by wave energy and onshore flow tied to the distant nor’easter that hit the Northeast.