HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Hurricane Dorian is churning its way toward Florida, and residents living in coastal areas across South Florida are concerned because it will be hitting the state during a king tides cycle.
Fort Lauderdale officials are just as concerned about the storm as their inland peers because of these exceptionally high tides caused by the moon’s gravitational pull.
The high seasonal tide already created some minor flooding, Friday morning.
“There are certainly additional concerns when we have the timing of a storm making landfall at the same time as high tide,” said Nancy Gassman, assistant public works director for the City of Fort Lauderdale.
City officials said a sea wall will be built within the next two years to alleviate the problems king tides bring to the coastal roads.
Until then, tall sticks with orange flags will be guiding cars through the flooded streets of certain neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, floodwaters in Opa-locka caused large puddles throughout Cairo Lane, Friday afternoon. The roadway is considered one of the most susceptible to flooding in South Florida.
Local business owners said they expect Cairo Lane to be impassable after Dorian likely brings a deluge of rain.
“For this storm and for flooding, [employee safety] is our biggest concern,” said Chip Meissner, the president of Atlas Packaging, a shipping box manufacturing company.
Once a hurricane watch is issued, Meissner said, he will shut down the business to keep his employees off these streets.
7News captured other nearby roads in Opa-locka already partially underwater.
In Hollywood, homeowners next to the Intracoastal Waterway are also more worried about water than hurricane-strength winds.
Area resident Jerry Quinn said he saw floodwaters right up to his front door during Hurricane Irma in 2017, so he’s securing his home the best he can.
“We sandbagged the doors and run it up with plastic to stop any intrusion,” he said. “It got pretty close last time for Irma. It came pretty close, almost to the front door but just missed us, so we’ll see how this time is.”
Randy Wade, who lives near Quinn on Ninth Avenue and Southgate Drive, lifted his Alfa Romeo and vintage Mercedes-Benz up on cinder blocks in his garage.
“I feel like there’s very little I can do. It’s gonna be the grace of God, I think,” he said.
King tides normally occur in early September and come again in October.
Hurricane Dorian will hit Florida around the same time king tides are supposed to begin occurring, so a storm surge will cause the tides to rise even higher.
The storm could dump up to 18 inches of rain in some pockets, and the system could slow down, meaning it could sit over South Florida for a longer period of time.
City officials are stepping in with water pumps and sea walls to prevent flooding during the storm.
Friday morning, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said county crews were clearing sewer system, but he warned that those drains can only hold so much water. He advised residents in areas prone to flooding to get sandbags and secure their homes as best as possible.
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