Luxury Condos Threatened by Worsening "Sunny Day" Flooding in Florida

In October 2025, West Palm Beach's scenic Flagler Drive was once again inundated by coastal flooding, with water over a foot deep in some areas during high tides. This "sunny day" flooding, caused by a combination of king tides, a full moon, and a low-pressure system, has become an annual nuisance for the city's wealthy waterfront residents.

The city had launched an $800,000 project in late 2021 to install tidal check valves along Flagler Drive, aiming to prevent brackish water from the Lake Worth Lagoon from bubbling up through storm drains. However, as of October 2025, only 11 of the planned 54 valves have been installed, with delays in designing the larger-diameter valves. An additional 16 valves are scheduled for installation by June 2026, but the city acknowledges the valves may not be fully effective if heavy rains coincide with high tides.

The flooding has become a significant inconvenience for residents, with driveways to multimillion-dollar homes blocked and streetlights temporarily knocked out. Realtors have also had to avoid showing properties during flood events, as the "sunny day" flooding has become a growing concern for the city's luxury condominium market. While the city continues its efforts to mitigate the issue, the worsening coastal flooding driven by rising sea levels remains a persistent challenge for West Palm Beach's affluent waterfront community.