King Tides to Bring Nuisance Flooding to St. Augustine Low Spots Sunday Through Tuesday

The City of St. Augustine is warning residents to expect nuisance flooding in the same low-lying streets that flood every fall, as seasonally higher tides move through the area from Sunday, Sept. 27 through Tuesday, Sept. 29. A separate Coastal Flood Advisory was already in effect Sept. 24-25, ahead of this weekend's tides.

City officials say the higher water is not a surprise. These fall "king tide" events happen most years around this time, driven by the moon's position rather than any storm. But that doesn't make the standing water any less inconvenient for the neighborhoods that deal with it every time.

The city's list of flood-prone spots hasn't changed much over the years. It includes Lincolnville, South Davis Shores, the San Sebastian River Bridge area at US 1 and King Street, Abbott Tract, Fullerwood, Nelmar Terrace, the bayfront seawall near the Castillo de San Marcos, and Bridge Street between Cordova and Granada Streets.

City officials are asking drivers to stay out of standing water whenever they can. If a flooded street is the only way through, the advice is simple: slow down. A car moving too fast through water pushes a wake onto nearby lawns, driveways and porches, turning a few inches of street flooding into someone's soaked yard.

Residents who want to see how high the water is getting in real time can check the city's Hohonu Dashboard, which tracks current water levels, along with the King Tide chart on the city's website. Both are useful for anyone deciding whether to move a car off a low street before the tide peaks.

The city has not said whether this round of tides is expected to be worse or milder than past fall events. For residents in the neighborhoods on that list, the practical move is the same one locals have made for years: check the tide charts before heading out, and give standing water a wide path.

Want more on how the city is tracking flood risk and drainage projects in these same neighborhoods? Visit the St. Augustine Community Website and check our alerts coverage for updates as conditions change. Got flooding to report on your street? Share it and join the conversation in our Community Forum.

Header photo: Olga Ernst / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)