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 2024 King Tide Season approaches, SFWMD is continuing efforts for the monitoring, operational response and documentation of these events.
Extreme high tides are predicted by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration to peak above 2.5-3.0 feet Mean Lower Low Water along the South Florida Coast during the following days (peak varies by location):
- August 19-23 (Full Moon)
- September 18-21 (Full Moon)
- October 1-5 (New Moon)
- October 16-20 (Full Moon)
- October 30 - November 4 (New Moon)
- November 13-18 (Full Moon)
- November 29-30 (New Moon)
Weekly Tidal Outlook Forecast
With the onset of the 2024 King Tide season, SFWMD will be publishing the weekly Tidal Outlook Forecast, every Monday, beginning today, August 12, 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 weekly 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 partnered in 2022 to improve tidal predictions available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These enhanced predictions, which form the foundation of the Weekly Tidal Outlook Forecast, utilize dynamic model inputs that account for sea level rise, meteorological conditions, and oceanic factors (i.e., wind, wind direction, sea surface temperature, and swell energy).
Automated king tide forecasts are now available on the SFWMD’s Resilience Metrics Hub for seven tidal stations along South Florida’s east and west coasts:
- Virginia Key
- Port Everglades
- Lake Worth
- Key West
- Vaca Key
- Naples/Naples Bay North
- Fort Myers