Pompano Beach flood advisory runs to 8 p.m. Thursday

Updated Oct. 29: The weather service extended the warning through 8 p.m. Wednesday, then let it end. A coastal flood advisory for moderate coastal flooding stays in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday, with “flooding of lots, parks, and roads with only isolated road closures expected,” the office said in its 7:54 p.m. Wednesday update. Thursday’s high tides at Hillsboro Inlet are 11:32 a.m. (3.4 feet) and 11:38 p.m. (3.2 feet), according to NOAA’s predictions.

The National Weather Service in Miami has issued a coastal flood warning for coastal Broward County. It runs from 2 a.m. Monday to 8 p.m. Tuesday, as this year’s October king tides peak.

The office said flooding around high tide could reach major flood stage on Monday and Tuesday. That is a step up from the advisories that have covered the coast since Wednesday. The warning was issued at 7:43 a.m. Sunday in the office’s coastal hazard message, and it replaces a coastal flood watch for the same days.

What the weather service says

The warning covers coastal Broward and coastal Miami-Dade counties. The office said:

• Now: a coastal flood advisory stays in effect until 2 a.m. Monday.
• Monday and Tuesday: moderate coastal flooding around high tide, reaching major flood stage.
• Impacts: “Numerous roads may be closed. Low lying property including homes, businesses, and some critical infrastructure will be inundated.”
• The beach: “Some shoreline erosion will occur.” A high rip current risk runs through late Tuesday night, and the office called the rip currents life threatening.
• After Tuesday: “Coastal Flood Advisories will then be necessary through much of next week after the peak of King Tides.”

“If travel is required, do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth,” the weather service said. It also told owners to “take the necessary actions to protect flood-prone property.”

When the water is highest

Tidal flooding peaks around high tide. These are NOAA’s predictions for the Hillsboro Inlet station, inside the inlet at the north end of the city:

Heights are in feet above the station’s low-water mark. The morning tides are the higher of the two each day, and Tuesday morning’s is the highest of the week. NOAA’s figures are for the tide alone, so wind and waves can push the water higher than the table shows.

The nearest NOAA tide gauge with official flood levels is at South Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, about 12 miles south. The weather service sets minor flooding there at 1.3 feet above the normal high-water line, moderate at 1.7 feet and major at 2.5 feet. The gauge read 1.5 feet, minor flood stage, at 7 p.m. Sunday, according to the NOAA river and tide gauge page.

Inside the city’s king tide window

The warning falls inside the city’s own king tide calendar. The City of Pompano Beach lists Oct. 25-31 as this month’s window, followed by Nov. 24-28. The city said king tides mainly affect low-lying areas close to the water.

What it means for you

If you live near the water or in a low area, the city asks you to:

• turn around and find another route instead of driving through a flooded street
• rinse salt water off the underside of a car that has been through flood water
• put sandbags at door thresholds and garage doors if your property needs them
• check your flood insurance policy so you know what it covers
• keep storm drains on your street clear
• bring trash and recycling carts in from a flooded street as soon as they are emptied, or wait until the next pickup day to put them out
• rinse off if you come into contact with flood water

Plan Monday and Tuesday trips around the morning high tide if your route runs near the Intracoastal Waterway or the beach. Our trash and recycling page has the pickup days. Our hurricane prep guide explains how to sign up for Alert Pompano Beach, the city’s emergency alerts.

At the beach, the weather service said to swim near a lifeguard. If a rip current catches you, relax and float, and do not swim against it. Our earlier stories cover last week’s flood advisory and the surf and rip currents.

We will update this story if the weather service issues new advisories.