‘Dry flooding’ along the Space Coast: How strong winds and king tides have broken records

Coastal flooding along Florida’s Space Coast reached a historic level this week, even without a tropical system or significant rainfall.The tide gauge at Port Canaveral recorded a water level of 3.02 feet above Mean Higher High Water, marking the highest non-tropical water level recorded at the station since it was established in 1994.What is ‘dry flooding’?So how does flooding happen without much rain? It’s sometimes called a “dry flood” when rising coastal water inundates roads, yards, docks, and other low-lying areas without rainfall being the main cause.What is causing it?In this case, a combination of king tides and persistent onshore winds drove water levels higher. King tides are especially high astronomical tides that occur when the alignment of the Earth, moon and sun produces a greater tidal range. Strong winds blowing toward the coast can push additional ocean water inland, worsening coastal flooding and beach erosion.How does this compare to tropical systems?For perspective