City provides update on water levels post-storm
On Oct. 17, the city of Sanibel reported that the Public Works Department has been actively managing the city’s weirs in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton and water levels have receded below the target elevations at both locations.
With no rain in the forecast for the next week, water levels should continue to draw down as the island transitions into the dry season. The department will continue to monitor water levels and operate the weirs in accordance with the city’s weir policy.
Sanibel will experience a period of king (extreme) tides beginning today, Oct. 18, through Oct. 23 due to the October full moon causing higher than normal high tides and lower than normal low tides. While it will not cause widespread flooding, it is likely that some bayside roadways and neighborhoods, like those along Bailey Road and Dixie Beach Boulevard, will experience some minor saltwater flooding around the period of high tide, which will occur between midnight and 3 a.m.
Although the National Weather Service in Miami is predicting “moderate” flooding for Florida’s southeast counties due to the upcoming king tides, offshore winds for Sanibel and Florida’s west coast should limit the potential impacts to the local area.
For more information on king tides, visit https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/kingtide.html.