The morning edition

King tides flood streets from Miami to St. Augustine as coastal flood warnings are in effect

Monday, October 26, 2026

Monday, October 26, 2026

Good Morning! On October 26, 1992, an act of Congress made Fort Jefferson National Monument, out in the Dry Tortugas, into Dry Tortugas National Park. Franklin D. Roosevelt had first protected the islands as a monument in 1935, and the new park was created to protect the island and marine ecosystems along with Fort Jefferson and its shipwrecks. The park is managed together with Everglades National Park.

In This Issue: King tides are flooding streets from Miami to St. Augustine under coastal flood warnings; researchers found PFAS in nearly every Florida waterway they tested; and Isaias claims have climbed to 55,000. Plus: the Dolphins get their first win, and the World Series comes to the Trop.

Weather: Rain is likely Monday from Daytona Beach through Miami, while the Panhandle and Gulf coast stay mostly sunny. Coastal Flood Warnings cover the Atlantic coast from Nassau to Martin counties into early Wednesday, plus the St. Johns River basin in Northeast Florida, and coastal Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade until 8 p.m. Tuesday. (NWS)

Tropical: The National Hurricane Center expects no tropical cyclones to form in the Atlantic, Caribbean or Gulf over the next seven days. (National Hurricane Center)

Rip Current Report: High rip current risk Monday along the entire Atlantic coast from Nassau through Miami-Dade, with surf of 10 to 13 feet in St. Lucie and Martin and 10 to 11 feet from Nassau through St. Johns, under High Surf Advisories. The risk is also high from Escambia to Okaloosa and in Franklin County, moderate from Walton through Gulf and from Pinellas to Lee, and low elsewhere on the Gulf coast. (NWS)

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Coastal Flood Warnings in Effect as King Tides Flood Streets From Miami to St. Augustine

A Coastal Flood Warning is in effect for coastal Broward and Miami-Dade counties Monday, Local 10 says, as saltwater flooding could reach major flood stage during this round of king tides; numerous road closures are possible, and a gale warning is out with gusts of 35 to 40 knots. On Sunday, WSVN cameras found flooding on Miami streets, in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale and at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.

In Northeast Florida, a coastal flood warning is in effect through Tuesday as king tides and a local nor'easter bring tidal flooding; the National Park Service closed the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Oct. 25–26 for hazardous flooding, St. Augustine residents kayaked down a flooded street, and Satellite Beach closed all beach crossovers over erosion.

Researchers Find Widespread PFAS Contamination in Florida Waterways

Roughly 96 percent of 23 Florida waterways tested between 2022 and 2024 contained 43 different kinds of PFAS, the "forever chemicals" linked with cancer, according to a report this month from the Environment America Research & Policy Center, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group.

The contaminated waterways spanned from Miami to the Panhandle, including the Hillsborough River, which provides drinking water for Tampa; 36 PFAS compounds were detected at all six monitoring sites in Tiger Lake.

Isaias Insurance Claims Reach 55,000 as Modelers Put Multistate Losses at $2.5 Billion to $4.5 Billion

As of Tuesday, 55,000 claims tied to Hurricane Isaias had been filed in Florida, mostly from the western Panhandle (more than 26,000 in Santa Rosa and nearly 17,000 in Escambia), with insured losses approaching $582 million, according to the Office of Insurance Regulation.

Moody's RMS estimated losses across multiple states at $2.5 billion to $4.5 billion, plus about $250 million in National Flood Insurance Program claims; Karen Clark & Company put privately insured losses nationally at $3 billion.

Calls to Florida Gambling Helpline Have More Than Doubled in Recent Years

Calls to the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling's helpline have more than doubled in recent years, and nearly half of callers are ages 18 to 25, as advocates urge sports fans to recognize when gambling becomes a problem.

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❖ St. Pete Beach/Pinellas: Willy's Burgers & Booze at 645 Corey Avenue has started construction to reopen. Hurricane Helene's storm surge wrecked it in 2024, and the owners say they spent 14 months getting through permitting.

❖ Orlando/Orange: The University of Central Florida has more than 22,700 Hispanic students enrolled this fall. Senior Sofia Lisman, deputy chief of staff for UCF Student Government, is among them.

❖ Delray Beach/Palm Beach: Founder Jonathan Frutkin has opened Preface Wine, a wine shop that becomes a wine bar at 4 p.m., in Delray Beach's Pineapple Grove neighborhood.

❖ Fort Myers Beach/Lee: La Ola Surfside, destroyed by Hurricane Ian, plans to rebuild as a two-story restaurant on Estero Boulevard, with construction starting in May 2027.

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❖ Jolly Visits Three Jacksonville Churches as Donalds Worships in Miami and Tours the Panhandle — Democrat David Jolly visited Bethel, Abyssinia Missionary Baptist and Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist churches in Jacksonville Sunday. "The job as governor is to extend freedom to people of all faiths or those who choose no faith at all," he said. Republican Byron Donalds' campaign said he attended King Jesus International Ministry in Miami before bus-tour stops in Jackson and Walton counties with AG James Uthmeier and CFO Blaise Ingoglia.

❖ Manatee Voters to Decide on Expanding Land Conservation Program — A Manatee County referendum on the November ballot would raise the property tax for buying environmentally sensitive land and authorize up to $75 million in bonds. The campaign puts the cost at about $34 a year for the median homesteaded owner. Supporters say the program protects water supplies as the county grows.

❖ High Springs Commission Candidate Moves to End Lawsuit Over Qualifying Process — High Springs City Commission candidate Ross Ambrose is moving to drop his lawsuit over how the city handled qualifying, after candidates had to requalify because of an outdated form. Ambrose had contended his opponent, Gigi Buigas, didn't file proper forms. He now says the suit is no longer practical.

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❖ Clearwater Beach Bar reopens two years after Helene flooded it — Clearwater Beach Bar, formerly Jamminz Beach Bar, held its grand reopening Saturday after two years closed by Hurricane Helene damage; the bar had to be completely gutted after water damaged much of its equipment, and owner Peter Czajkowski said he watched on security cameras as water rose over the bar and beer coolers floated. "They knocked us down, but they couldn't break us," Czajkowski said, adding the bar will "start from scratch" to win back old regulars and draw tourists to Mandalay Avenue, where many businesses had to renovate after the storm.

❖ Brooksville's Wagon Wheel Feed & Hardware marks 35 years — The Sanders family knew nothing about the feed business when they moved from St. Petersburg to Brooksville in 1991, but Wagon Wheel Feed & Hardware celebrated 35 years Saturday. The store started in an old feed store on Broad Street, moved to a two-story house on Cortez Boulevard after about 15 years when the landlord sold, and 12 years ago expanded into a former watermelon packing plant behind it at 25410 Cortez Blvd. Daughter Patty Eden now runs the business, which sells feed, hay, pet supplies and some medicine. "We pride ourselves on customer service and good prices," she said.

❖ 80-plus hospitality employers head to UCF Rosen College "Career Fest" — More than 80 employers from hotels, restaurants, theme parks, cruise lines, resorts and entertainment venues are expected at UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management's music-festival-themed "Career Fest," 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. Organizers expect about 1,000 UCF students and alumni seeking internships, part-time and full-time jobs; the event, planned by students in an Event Operations class, also offers professional headshots and a resume workshop.

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Willis, Douglas Lead Dolphins Past Jets 28-25 for First Win of the Season

It took seven weeks, but the Dolphins have their first win, and Jeff Hafley has his first as an NFL head coach. Miami led 21-7 at halftime at MetLife Stadium, then held off a Jets rally. Malik Willis threw two touchdown passes to rookie Caleb Douglas, the second a 63-yarder, and ran for another score. Ollie Gordon II added 103 rushing yards and a touchdown. Willis sealed the game with a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-1. The Dolphins (1-6) host New England next Sunday.

Bucs Force Four Turnovers, Run for 258 Yards in 43-13 Rout of Panthers

Bucky Irving ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns in Baker Mayfield's return from a dislocated right thumb. Tampa Bay forced four turnovers, hammered the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte and ran for 258 yards. Mayfield threw only 11 passes, for 64 yards, wearing a protective glove. Calijah Kancey returned a strip-sack 32 yards for a touchdown. Zyon McCollum ran back a blocked extra point 70 yards for 2 points, and the Bucs (2-5) led 33-6 at halftime. Atlanta visits Tampa Bay next Sunday.

Down 2-0, Rays Hand World Series Game 3 at the Trop to Ex-Brewer Freddy Peralta

Freddy Peralta pitched eight seasons for Milwaukee. He'll start Game 3 against the Brewers on Monday in St. Petersburg, with Milwaukee leading the Series 2-0. "It is a little weird," said Peralta, who still hears cheers from Brewers fans. He went 5-9 with a 4.99 ERA for the Mets before Tampa Bay traded for him at the deadline, then was named MVP of the AL Championship Series. The Rays have won each of his last nine starts, in which he has an MLB-leading 0.90 ERA.

Scoreboard

Dolphins 28, Jets 25

Buccaneers 43, Panthers 13

Panthers 3, Blackhawks 2

Gotham FC 2, Orlando Pride 1

Magic 111, Knicks 102

Schedule (all times ET)

Mon Oct 26 — NBA: Mavericks at Heat, 7:30pm ET, NBA TV

Mon Oct 26 — MLB World Series Game 3: Brewers at Rays, Tropicana Field, 8pm ET, Fox

Tue Oct 27 — MLB World Series Game 4: Brewers at Rays, Tropicana Field, 8pm ET, Fox

Tue Oct 27 — NHL: Panthers at Jets, 8pm ET, Scripps Sports

More Scores: NFL | MLB | NBA | NHL | NCAAF | WNBA

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Florida regular averaged $4.11 a gallon Sunday (AAA, as of 10/25/26), down about 2 cents from Saturday ($4.13) and level with a week ago ($4.11). That is about 18 cents under the national average of $4.29. West Palm Beach–Boca Raton is the most expensive metro at about $4.27, and Pensacola is the cheapest at about $3.75.

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❖ Good Samaritan, Coast Guard Pull Four From Capsized Boat Near Key Largo: Four people were rescued after a 23-foot boat capsized near Key Largo on Saturday, NBC 6 reports. A good Samaritan pulled three of them aboard his own vessel while the captain stayed behind to try to dewater the boat. The boat capsized as Coast Guard crews arrived, and they rescued the captain. All four were taken to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

❖ Marine Veteran Named Volusia County's First Veteran Employee of the Year: Miguel Aviles of Ormond Beach spent 22 years as a U.S. Marine and the past 17 years with the Volusia County Division of Corrections. On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the Volusia County Council named him the county's first Veteran Employee of the Year and proclaimed "Miguel Aviles Day" in Volusia County. He is one of 236 veterans employed by the county, and the award is part of the Volusia Values Veterans Program. Aviles retired from the Marine Corps as a first sergeant, and on his own time he volunteers as a range coach for fellow Corrections employees.

❖ Key Biscayne Teen Who Started Walking for Breast Cancer at 6 Now Helps Lead a Support Group: Chloe Cartaya joined the 2015 Making Strides walk at age 6 and became vice president and secretary of the Comforting Pink Sisters board at 15. Over five years she has helped distribute more than 1,000 care packages and raise more than $50,000. The Lourdes Academy student also created Melodies and Masterpieces with classmate Gabriela Hernandez, holding monthly arts sessions at the Miami Learning Experience School.

❖ Coral Springs-Parkland Welcomes 26 New Firefighters, Who Served Up Pasta for a Cause: The Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department welcomed 26 new firefighters, and Chief John Whalen said a $3 million safety grant made the hires possible. The new hires served the Cancer Awareness Pasta Dinner at Fire Station #80 on Saturday evening, with $8 plates benefiting the Coral Springs Professional Firefighters Benevolent Association and other charities. New firefighter Dallas Ferdine said he loves the job and wants to serve the community. The department hired 14 new members last year.

❖ Port St. Lucie Students Go Behind the Scenes at City Hall and Pitch Ideas for the City's Future: Port St. Lucie staff from more than 10 city departments met with hundreds of St. Lucie County students during Florida City Government Week, Oct. 19-25. Students from six schools, including Somerset College Preparatory Academy, Allapattah Flats K-8 and Legacy High School, learned how the city provides everyday services. This year they also gave direct feedback on Port St. Lucie's strategic goals, which will go to the City Council when it reviews the Strategic Plan next year. Social studies department head Michael Kyryliw said some students expressed interest in joining the Youth Council or pursuing a career in city government.

❖ Coral Springs Charter's Marching Panthers Earn Third Straight Year of Superior Ratings: The Coral Springs Charter Marching Panthers earned straight superior ratings at the Music Performance Assessment at Cypress Bay High School on Oct. 24, their third consecutive year of straight superiors. A week earlier the band took first place in Class 1A at the Palmetto Ridge Marching Band Invitational in Naples. The band is led by director David Cardona and drum major Leah Delgado. Next up is a Bands of America event in Clearwater on Oct. 31.

Today’s Quote

"Monday isn't the bad guy. It's just the one that has to open the store."

— original / Front Porch

Florida Almanac

Moon: Just past full on Monday, 99% lit; the full moon arrived at 12:12 a.m. ET Monday, Oct. 26.

Sunrise / Sunset: Orlando: sunrise 7:33 a.m., sunset 6:45 p.m. ET, 11h 12m of daylight. Times vary across the state, and Pensacola is on Central time.

Gardening Notes: Turnips are a quick, cold-hardy crop that can go in from August to February in North Florida, September to February in Central Florida and September to January in South Florida, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says. Sow seeds half an inch deep, 2 to 3 inches apart in rows 18 inches apart; both the roots and the greens are good to eat.

Coastal / Red Tide: FWC’s Oct. 23 update found red tide at bloom levels in St. Joseph Bay (Gulf County) for the first time this season; elsewhere it was at background levels or absent.

Florida by the Numbers

2,282,785: valid Florida concealed weapon or firearm licenses as of Sept. 30, 2026, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The state has issued more than 6.66 million licenses, new and renewal, since the program began in October 1987.