What are King Tides — and why are we flooding?

Residents in some low-lying Tampa Bay neighborhoods woke up to flooded streets Wednesday morning as unusually high tides pushed coastal water onto roadways.

The flooding was reported in Shore Acres, a low-lying waterfront community in St. Petersburg that is particularly vulnerable when water levels rise in Tampa Bay.

FOX 13 reported Wednesday morning that abnormally high “king tides” were responsible for coastal flooding in the neighborhood, with additional periods of high water possible over the coming days.

What are king tides?

Despite the name, a king tide isn’t a storm.

The term is commonly used for some of the highest naturally occurring tides of the year, produced when the gravitational effects of the moon and sun combine to generate unusually high water levels.

During these events, coastal water can spill onto streets, parking areas and other low-lying locations even when there isn’t a hurricane or tropical storm nearby.

The situation can become worse when high tides coincide with rain, strong winds or other weather conditions.

Tampa Bay is in a period of unusually high tides

Wednesday’s flooding isn’t entirely unexpected.

The South Florida Water Management District’s 2026 seasonal outlook identifies September 29 through October 1 as one of this year’s periods of elevated tides along Florida’s west coast.

Tide predictions also show particularly high water early Wednesday around Tampa Bay.

At McKay Bay in Tampa, for example, Wednesday morning’s predicted high tide was approximately 3.4 feet, the highest predicted tide there this week.

That helps explain why some residents encountered water on the roads early Wednesday.

More high water could follow

Residents of flood-prone neighborhoods shouldn’t assume Wednesday morning is necessarily the end of the issue.

The current west-coast king-tide period extends through Thursday, October 1, according to the regional outlook.

Weather could also play a role. Tampa is expected to be partly sunny Wednesday with temperatures reaching around 89°F, while showers become possible later in the day.

Why Shore Acres floods so easily

Shore Acres is surrounded by waterways and contains very low-lying streets, making the neighborhood particularly susceptible to tidal flooding.

During exceptionally high tides, residents can therefore see water move onto roads even without the extreme conditions associated with a tropical cyclone.

King-tide flooding is also useful as a glimpse of where communities are most vulnerable to higher coastal water levels.

For drivers, the safest response is simple: do not attempt to drive through a flooded street when you cannot determine the depth of the water.

Wednesday morning’s flooding is another reminder that in Florida, coastal flooding doesn’t always require a hurricane.

Sometimes, the tide alone is enough to put water on the road.