Fort Lauderdale warns Tuesday may bring worst king tide flooding

Fort Lauderdale officials warned residents on Monday that Tuesday could bring the worst flooding yet from this week's king tides.

City managers said standing water is likely on roads in low-lying areas, with some streets potentially becoming impassable during peak tide. They noted that ocean levels are currently high enough that pumping systems may not be able to move water effectively into elevated waterways. The water will likely remain on streets until the tide begins to recede.

Several neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale were underwater on Monday, stranding residents and forcing people to change their routes. Tommy Krcmaric described a walk around his block that turned into a detour because the water rose quickly as high tide approached. "It was rising fast," Krcmaric said. "We just went for a walk around the block, and on the way back here we already had to take a little bit of a different route just to get back to where we were 30 minutes ago."

Crews spent Monday clearing storm drains to help water flow faster, but strong onshore winds and passing downpours kept pushing water into the streets. In some areas, drivers were seen driving through bumper-deep water despite warnings. City officials explained that tidal flooding pushes saltwater into low-lying areas through drainage systems and over seawalls.

The high tide in Fort Lauderdale is set for 10:21 a.m. Tuesday, while Miami residents face high tide at 10:07 a.m. Local teams are continuing to monitor conditions, respond to flooding reports, and address roadway safety concerns as the water levels rise.