As fall approaches, so do the annual king tides, the highest tides of the year which typically occur in South Florida in September to December, peaking in October and November and often causing “sunny day" flooding, or flooding without any rain.

King tides are a natural part of the tide cycle, which means they can be predicted far in advance. However, on the day of the predicted king tides, natural variations in weather may cause more or less flooding than expected. Based on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) predictions for their Lake Worth tide gauge, the highest tides of 2022 in Palm Beach will occur on October 26 – 28 and November 23 – 26. These tides are not expected to reach NOAA-defined flooding conditions. However, weather may cause the tides to be higher than expected. Additionally, Lake Worth is the only NOAA tide gauge in Palm Beach County, and different parts of the County's 40-mile coastline may see slightly different tide heights or have different vulnerabilities to flooding.

King tide flooding is not guaranteed during these dates, and sunny-day and other types of flooding, such as rainfall-induced flooding or storm surge, may occur outside of these dates!

If your property is vulnerable to king tides, please consider the following options:

• Have a plan in-place to move your vehicles to higher ground BEFORE a king tide event
• Keep sandbags on-hand
• Consider obtaining an elevation certificate for your finished floor from a licensed surveyor
• Review your flood insurance policy, or consider acquiring flood insurance
• Make a flood safety plan, and review it with your family/friends/co-workers
• See Palm Beach County's Department of Emergency Management's Flood Tips website for more information on flood risk and your options for reducing the risk of flood damage
• Study the elevation of the areas around your property and identify alternative routes to avoid driving through deep water during the king tide event
• Remove waste carts and recycling bins from the curb as soon as possible when you are expecting a king tide event

To protect yourself and your loved ones during or after a king tide, please:

• Do not walk through flood water if possible. This can be a health and/or safety issue
• If you do need to walk through flooded waters, practice good hygiene and wash your hands, clothes, and pets as soon as possible
• Do not drive through flood waters if possible. This can be dangerous to you, and can damage your vehicle
• Be aware of the new tidal range, and practice safe boating when traveling under a bridge. Check the tides before leaving the dock.
• During king tide events, closely monitor your trash cans and recycling bins, and remove them from the curb as soon as possible as soon as they are emptied. If your property experiences flooding, consider storing your containers in a secure location until the next scheduled pick-up day.

For more information on king tides, see the County's king tide webpage.