Three cities in the Florida Panhandle saw more high-tide flood days in 2020 than any year on record, according to a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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The problem: Coastal cities continue to break records each year for the annual number of high-tide flood days.
Pensacola, Panama City Beach, and Panama City all broke records for high-tide flooding, also known as “nuisance” or “sunny day” flooding. While decades ago floods this high would only happen during a storm, disruptive sunny day floods now occur more frequently.
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The numbers: Pensacola reported 14 high-tide flood days. Panama City Beach and Panama City reported 11 and 9 days, respectively.
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What experts say: “High-tide flooding disrupts people’s lives when they can’t get to and from work or have to repeatedly deal with a flooded basement,” Nicole LeBoeuf, director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service, said in a press release.
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Go deeper: A worsening problem, nuisance flooding occurs when tides reach anywhere from 1.75 to 2 feet above the daily average high tide.
The bottom line: Since 2000, the number of high-tide flood days along the U.S. Southeast Atlantic and Gulf coastlines has increased 400-1,100%. That means more disruption for residents.
Learn more: Join Flood Defenders - Panhandle on Facebook to get involved and connect with other residents impacted by flooding.
