A King Tide forecast for the weekend could bring flooding to parts of South Florida.
The tide is expected to peak Sunday and Monday mornings between about 9 and 10 a.m. and may approach record highs as the moon sweeps closer to the earth.
"They do look like they'll be roughly comparable to the highest tide we saw in 2015 and 2016, which were pretty noteworthy," said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher who tracks the tides at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
Warmer water temperatures and onshore winds can drive up the seasonal tides. However, the biggest factor is rising seas. Over the last 25 years, water levels around South Florida have risen. Gauges at Virginia Key have recorded increases of five to six inches, McNoldy said.
According to NOAA forecasts, Miami Beach tides are expected to reach about 3.78 feet. Virginia Key should see 3.2 feet above mean sea level, McNoldy said.
Tides will likely remain high two days before and after the peak tides, he said.
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