A nearly full moon rose over Brevard County on Monday, Oct. 26, while exceptionally high tides and northeast winds kept the coast under a Coastal Flood Warning.

A Space Coast Wire affiliate photographed the moon from Brevard. The U.S. Naval Observatory lists it Monday as a waning gibbous, 99% illuminated, less than a day after the moon was officially full at 12:12 a.m. EDT Monday.

What the moon has to do with the tides

"King tide" is a popular, non-scientific term for exceptionally high tides, according to the NOAA National Ocean Service. NOAA says higher-than-normal tides typically come around a new or full moon, and when the moon is at its closest point to Earth.

The National Weather Service in Melbourne calls this week's version "astronomical high tides." In its Monday afternoon forecast discussion, the office said those tides, combined with gusty onshore northeast winds and long-period waves, are driving rough surf, coastal flooding and moderate to major beach erosion at high tide. NWS said breaking waves of 8 to 13 feet are present at local beaches.

The tide gauge at Trident Pier showed a preliminary crest of 3.02 feet above mean higher high water during Monday morning's high tide, reaching moderate flood stage, NWS said. Forecasters called it the highest water level not tied to a tropical cyclone since the station was established in October 1994.

Warnings through Thursday

As of Monday, NWS Melbourne's Coastal Flood Warning and High Surf Advisory for Brevard's mainland and barrier islands run until 2 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, with a high rip current risk through late Wednesday night. The office warns of significant shoreline erosion, and says coastal roads may be closed and low-lying property will be inundated. More on the warning is in our flood story.

The erosion has already closed beach access in Satellite Beach, where all of the city's beach crossovers are closed until further notice, the Wire reported. The city is asking people to stay off the beach and the dunes.

NWS Melbourne says heading to the beach and going in the ocean are not advised while the hazards continue.