King tide hits third-highest level on record at Virginia Key. A flood warning lasts until 8 p.m.

Tuesday's king tide pushed Biscayne Bay to one of its highest levels in three decades. Forecasters say flooding will continue today.

At 10:18 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, water at the NOAA tide gauge on Virginia Key reached 2.54 feet above mean higher high water, the average daily high tide. The tide tables had called for about 0.73 feet. King tides, strong onshore winds and passing downpours combined to push the water up, CBS Miami reported.

CBS Miami said the reading was the third-highest at that gauge since 1994. Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale recorded the highest level on record for its gauge. NOAA's readings are preliminary until the agency reviews them.

The peak also passed the National Weather Service's major flood level for the Virginia Key gauge. That threshold works out to about 2.48 feet above the average high tide.

What happened on the streets

Saltwater covered streets for a second straight day. On Collins Avenue in Mid-Beach, some cars stalled while others climbed hotel driveways to reach higher ground, CBS Miami reported. In Fort Lauderdale, city officials warned that pumps can't push water out when the ocean is this high, because the waterways they pump into are already high.

The Miami Herald called it a record king tide and published photos of water in streets and businesses.

What's next

The National Weather Service in Miami has a coastal flood warning for coastal Miami-Dade and Broward until 8 p.m. today. It warns that numerous roads may close and that low-lying homes, businesses and some critical infrastructure will flood. A coastal flood advisory for moderate flooding runs from 8 p.m. today to 8 p.m. Thursday. A high rip current risk lasts through this evening.

NOAA's tide tables put today's Virginia Key high tides near 11:20 a.m. and 11:23 p.m., and Thursday's daytime high near 12:11 p.m. Those predictions don't include wind. At 6 a.m. today, the bay sat about 1.6 feet above the predicted level, so real water levels can run well above the tables. High tide reaches bayside streets at slightly different times.

Predicted tides drop after Thursday. NOAA's tables show another run of higher morning tides from Nov. 5 to 9, with predicted peaks a bit lower than this week's.

If you have to drive

The weather service's advice: don't drive around barricades or through water of unknown depth. If your street floods, move your car to higher ground before high tide.

For the streets that flood first and where to park on Miami Beach, see our king tide guide. Heading to Lincoln Road for Halloween? Our Miami Beach Halloween guide has closures and parking.