Recap: Record rain flooded South Florida

Southern Florida just got walloped with over 10 inches of rainfall and gusts near 60 mph due to a strong storm system spreading over much of the state. Rain is still falling in the northern and central portions today but nothing like what was coming down Tuesday night into Wednesday and early Thursday morning for southern Florida.

As rainfall data is coming in, rain totals stretch between 6.44 inches and just over 10 inches across the Miami metro area. Significant flooding took place and cars stalled out in the high floodwaters as many were trying to make their way to their destinations – FYI, never drive into a flooded roadway.

Not to be outdone, gusty winds sent unsecured objects flying. As a stationary front settled across South Florida, a new tightly wound low-pressure system formed late Wednesday into Thursday morning, allowing for the winds to kick up – many comparing this to a tropical storm.

In Miami-Dade County, gusts between 48 and 55 mph were recorded, with Homestead Air Force Base and North Miami tying at 55 mph.

High wind warnings and wind advisories are still in effect through this afternoon as the coastal low moves up the East Coast. Gusts to 60 mph cannot be ruled out, especially along the coast.

In Broward County, residents experienced heavy rains starting on Tuesday evening and it really did not stop until about 6 a.m. Thursday morning. Many streets in interior areas of Broward County, such as in Weston, Fla., and Sunrise, Fla., were already flooding late on Tuesday. Rain became more intense between Wednesday afternoon and evening as the low-pressure system’s apparent center traveled over the northern portion of the Florida Keys.

As we had mentioned on Tuesday morning, Fort Lauderdale Airport established and surpassed a new rainfall record for the year (over 101 inches), this was courtesy of the 10.01 inches recorded within a 48-hour period ending at 7 a.m., November 16.

The rainfall was widely spread, from the coast to inland areas, many places had over 12 inches of rain.

Most of the heaviest rains had fallen on Wednesday afternoon. Many businesses flooded, even schools registered flooding, and pumps are working hard to bring out the water from buildings. Late Wednesday evening, Broward County School District decided to close schools on Thursday to keep students and staff safe as buses start to run very early, and would encounter flooded streets, not to mention that some schools were dealing with flooding.

The County’s Superintendent, Dr. Peter Licata, already said that school will reopen on Friday and that students will make up this day at some point during the school year, as they are hurricane days built into the schedule.

Wind was also a big issue across Broward County, with the highest official wind gusts in the county registered in Fort Lauderdale Airport coming in at 55 mph and in Pembroke Pines at 53 mph. Downed trees and roof damage have been reported across the county.