9 publishers · first seen Tue, 27 Oct 2026 21:55 UTC · updated Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:01 UTC
Record-breaking king tides flooded coastal areas in South Florida and California in late October 2026, with water levels surpassing those of past hurricanes in some locations. In Miami, the tidal gauge reached 2.54 feet above mean higher high water on October 27, the highest king tide since 1994, while Lake Worth Pier recorded 2.7 feet, exceeding levels from Hurricane Nicole, Sandy, and Dorian. Strong onshore winds, a full moon, and rising sea levels intensified the tides, causing widespread disruptions to businesses and transportation. In California, San Diego’s tide gauge reached 8.14 feet, nearing the record of 8.26 feet, with flooding reported along the Pacific Coast Highway and in Long Beach.
National Weather Service officials described the flooding as unusual, with meteorologists attributing the extreme levels to a combination of astronomical factors and climate-related sea level rise. NOAA data show a 400% to 1,110% increase in high tide flooding days since 2000 along the U.S. southeast and Gulf coasts.
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