King Tides Slam Homeowners on Both Coasts: See Where Residents Are Being Swamped by Hurricane-Level Flooding

Hurricane season may be coming to a close, but extreme flooding is hitting both coasts hard in the final days of October. 

California and Florida are being hit hardest, with some communities seeing flooding like they’ve never seen before at this time of year. 

In Southern California, video showed floodwaters reaching the doorsteps of multimillion-dollar homes. San Diego’s tide gauge reached 8.14 feet, according to AccuWeather, nearly 1.5 feet above the predicted level and just over an inch below the reported record of 8.26 feet.

In Florida, neighborhoods such as Fort Lauderdale have been inundated with floodwaters, with residents being warned that Tuesday could be the hardest-hitting day.

And the cause of all of this flooding mayhem? Exceptionally high tides, dubbed by meteorologists as king tides. 

What are king tides?

The king tide is the highest predicted high tide of the year at a coastal location, according to the EPA.

They are “normal occurrence ... happen once or twice every year" in coastal areas. They can occur when the orbits and alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun combine to produce the greatest tidal effects of the year.

According to AccuWeather, the hunter’s moon reached its full phase on Sunday evening on the West Coast and shortly after midnight Monday in the East. Full moons enhance tides as the sun, Earth, and moon align, but winds and other ocean conditions can raise water levels even higher.

A coastal flood warning and/or advisory was in effect on Monday for the entire Southeast U.S. coast, from the Florida Keys to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Meanwhile, California’s high tide on Oct. 26 brought the highest coastal water levels in over a century of recordkeeping to both San Diego and Los Angeles, according to preliminary data from NOAA.

How the king tides will impact Florida next 

Coastal flood warnings remain in effect through Wednesday evening for coastal Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

Areas such as Miami, Jacksonville, and Daytona Beach have already been severely impacted by the tides—but the worst may be on the way.

Meteorologists forecast that Tuesday could see the worst before conditions begin to gradually improve, especially in already heavily impacted areas like Fort Lauderdale.

City officials warned residents on Monday that conditions on Tuesday could be the worst so far.

"Neighbors should anticipate standing water on roads in areas prone to tidal flooding, with some streets potentially becoming impassable around peak tide," city officials said.

How the king tides will impact California next 

Unlike on the Southeast coast, king tides on the West Coast are driven by astronomical factors, but also the seasonal changes in water temperatures. This means that the warmer ocean waters due to the current Super El Niño is playing its part in this. 

Coastal flood advisories and warnings are in effect from San Francisco south to San Diego, with the latter looking at a warning in effect through Friday. 

The National Weather Service warned that late-morning high tides could inundate homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure, close roads, and cause shoreline erosion. 

It’s startling news, given a new California state climate assessment warns that without intervention, up to 75% of the state's beaches could disappear by 2100.

In Long Beach, residents reported flooding along Bayshore Beach, Naples, and the peninsula, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Nancy Pinckert, a resident of Naples, spoke to the outlet and shared video of water leaking through the base of a seawall onto a walkway.

The seawall has already taken a hammering, both from these king tides and swells from Tropical Storm Rachel earlier this month. One more push could cause water to breach—which for California will likely be Nov. 24–26, 2026.

That's when the next major statewide king tide periods are scheduled, according to meteorologists.