Weather
Coastal flood warning extended to Thursday as Satellite Beach closes all beach crossovers
NWS Melbourne now keeps Brevard's Coastal Flood Warning in place until 2 a.m. Thursday. Monday's high tide at Trident Pier ran about 1.9 feet above forecast, and Satellite Beach has closed every beach crossover.
The National Weather Service in Melbourne has extended the Coastal Flood Warning for Brevard County until 2 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. The update, issued at 1:39 a.m. Monday, adds a full day: the previous version of the warning, issued at 3:16 p.m. Sunday, was set to expire at 2 a.m. Wednesday.
What forecasters expect
The warning covers mainland and barrier-island Brevard, north and south, along with coastal Volusia, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties. NWS expects "significant coastal flooding." Its warning says coastal roads may be closed, low-lying homes, businesses and some critical infrastructure "will be inundated," and "significant shoreline erosion will occur."
A High Surf Advisory for breaking waves of 7 to 11 feet in the surf zone also runs until 2 a.m. Thursday, and the high rip current risk lasts through late Wednesday night. A Wind Advisory for northeast winds of 20 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph, stays in effect until 8 p.m. Monday.
The weather service's Monday morning forecast discussion says gusts could reach 40 mph along the coast and passing squalls could produce isolated gusts of 40 to 50 mph. It forecasts minor to moderate coastal flooding, with saltwater reaching low-lying roads, lots, docks and yards near the coast and the Intracoastal Waterway during the morning high-tide cycles, and "moderate to major beach erosion" at times of high tide. Its advice: "Heading to the beach and entering the ocean is not advised!"
Water ran nearly 2 feet over forecast
At NOAA's Trident Pier gauge at Port Canaveral, the water peaked at 6.95 feet above mean lower low water at 7:54 a.m. Monday, in preliminary readings through 8:54 a.m. NOAA's tide predictions called for a high of 5.05 feet at 8:16 a.m., so the water ran about 1.9 feet above forecast.
That is about 3 feet above the gauge's mean higher high water level and above the 6.5-foot level NOAA's flood data for the gauge list as major flooding.
The astronomical highs are predicted to keep growing a little through Wednesday. NOAA predicts Trident Pier highs of 4.04 feet at 8:32 p.m. Monday; 5.19 feet at 9:04 a.m. and 3.97 feet at 9:20 p.m. Tuesday; 5.21 feet at 9:53 a.m. and 3.86 feet at 10:09 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28; and 5.12 feet at 10:45 a.m. Thursday. Those are predictions. As Monday morning showed, the actual water can run well above them.
Satellite Beach closes its crossovers
Satellite Beach has closed all of its beach crossovers until further notice because of dangerous conditions from strong winds and king tides, the city said, WFTV reported Sunday. Significant sand erosion has created dangerous drop-offs near the stairs at the crossovers. The city is asking people to stay off the beaches and not walk on or through the dunes, and says staff will reopen the crossovers when it is safe.
The city's beach-access page says Satellite Beach has 17 beach crossovers, including three beach parks. 321 Daily has not seen the city's own closure notice, so the closure is as WFTV reported it, and we have not confirmed closures in other Brevard cities.
What to do
Stay out of the water. NWS says swimmers should remain out of the water because of large breaking waves and dangerous surf.
Stay off the dunes and away from closed crossovers. Satellite Beach says erosion has left dangerous drop-offs near the crossover stairs.
Do not drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth if you have to travel.
If you are caught in a rip current, relax and float rather than swim against it, and swim along the shoreline if you can.
Check Brevard County's Storm Center and your city's alerts for local closures and sandbag information. 321 Daily could not load the county's Storm Center page Monday morning.
