Local
King tide returns floodwater to St. Augustine’s Coquina Avenue
Flooding returned to Coquina Avenue on Monday as a king tide pushed salt water into St. Augustine neighborhoods. The city warned that trash collection would be delayed on flooded streets, with tidal flooding expected to continue through Tuesday.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Salt water once again covered parts of St. Augustine on Monday, as a king tide brought flooding to neighborhoods including Coquina Avenue and disrupted city services.
The water had mostly receded by 5 a.m., but returned by about 9 a.m. Streets that flooded over the weekend were again covered, and a resident shared video of a neighbor kayaking down a residential street Sunday.
For Coquina Avenue resident Rachel Swanson, the high water arrived as she was laying sod in her soaked front yard. The work had already been delayed for two weeks because of earlier storms, she said. Swanson, who has lived in St. Augustine her whole life, said she decided to proceed despite knowing the area could flood.
Swanson cautioned visitors against driving through the water, which she said is salt water rather than rainwater and can damage vehicles. Short-term rental guests may be unfamiliar with the risk, she said.
The flooding has also affected municipal operations: the city said trash pickup would be delayed on streets covered by water. The local weather team forecast tidal flooding through Tuesday.
The latest high tide followed flooding over the weekend, bringing renewed disruption to residents in a city where some streets are repeatedly affected by tidal water.