With approximately 700 miles of shoreline and 40+ gravity coastal structures upstream of tidally influenced canals, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD)’s water management mission is influenced by sea levels. Along with rainfall and surge, high tide events also contribute to flood risks in South Florida. The variation in strength and direction of the gravitational pull of the moon, especially during the new and full moon phases in the Fall, contributes to King Tide occurrences.
As the 2023 King Tide Season approaches, SFWMD is continuing efforts for the monitoring, operational response and documentation of these events. As part of our efforts, we’re sharing some of our new data and tools with the public as they’re available.
Extreme high tides are predicted by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to peak above 2.5-3 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) along the South Florida Coast during the following days (peak varies by location):
- September 13-15 (New Moon)
- September 26 to October 4 (Full Moon)
- October 14-19 (New Moon)
- October 24 – November 2 (Full Moon)
- November 11-17 (New Moon)
- November 24-29 (Full Moon)
Weekly Tidal Outlook Forecast
To improve these high tide forecasts, SFWMD is launching a weekly Tidal Outlook Forecast, published every Monday, to report conditions – such as wind strength and direction, ocean currents – that can cause tides to occur higher or lower than predicted at certain locations. These weekly updates are intended to be informational for interested stakeholders and the public. To subscribe to receive these updates, please visit our email signup page, enter your email address and check the "King Tide Forecast” option.
Enhanced Tidal Forecast in Partnership with University of Miami
SFWMD and the University of Miami (UM) - Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science are partnering to improve current tidal predictions available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These improved predictions will use dynamic model inputs that account for sea level rise and predict tidal conditions associated with meteorological and oceanic factors (i.e., wind, wind direction, sea surface temperature, and swell energy).
Automated king tide forecasts will be available on the SFWMD’s Resilience Metrics Hub for six tidal stations along South Florida’s east and west coasts: Virginia Key, Port Everglades, Lake Worth, Key West, Vaca Key, and Naples. We are making these forecasts available to the public and partner agencies for informational purposes.