‘Life-Threatening' Floods, 30 Inches Of Rain In South FL: Forecasters

Updated: Wednesday, 4:42 p.m.

FLORIDA — As forecasters track the first tropical disturbance of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, South Florida has been pummeled with heavy rains and flooding. The National Weather Service took the unusual step of warning residents of "life-threatening flooding.

A flash flood emergency was issued Wednesday afternoon for portions of northwestern Miami-Dade and southeastern Broward counties, according to a National Weather Service alert.

“This is a particularly dangerous situation. Seek higher ground now!” according to the NWS alert. “Life-threatening flash flooding of low water crossings, small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses” could affect Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Miramar, Davie, Hallandale, Miami Gardens, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Aventura, Dania Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, Opa-Locka, West Park, Ojus, Hard Rock Stadium, Oak Point, Miramar Parkway And University Drive, Estates Of Fort Lauderdale and Chambers Estates.

Much of south Florida, from Sarasota southeast into the Miami area, is under a flood watch with through Friday evening, the NWS said.

The lower Florida peninsula has born the brunt of the low-pressure storm system, Invest AL90, which is moving across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and northwest across the state while “producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms,” National Hurricane Center forecasters said.

• Also Read: Sarasota Rainfall Broke Records In ‘Thousand-Year Storm’: Officials

As the rain continues over the next several days into Saturday, parts of south Florida could see more than 2 feet of rain.

Eight inches of rain fell in parts of Sarasota and surrounding areas Tuesday evening during the “unique event,” Spencer Anderson, Sarasota County public works director, said in an interview provided by the county. “Statistically, that is about a thousand-year storm in the duration that it happened. So, it is very unusual.”

Overall Tuesday, the area saw 10.3 inches of rain, Noah Bergren, meteorologist for Fox 35 Orlando, posted to X, formerly Twitter.

Getting this much rain during such a short period of time is a one in 1,000-year-flood, he added. “That does not mean it happens one only every thousand years, but the chance in any given year is around 0.1 (percent)!"

The Sarasota area saw more rain Tuesday than it did when Hurricane Ian made landfall in the area as a Category 4 storm in September 2022, Newsweek reported. Nearly 9 inches fell during a five-day period when Ian hit the region.

Sarasota also set a record for the most rainfall in a single hour during Tuesday’s storms, he added. The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport recorded 3.93 inches of rain falling in just one hour from 7 to 8 p.m.

As the rain continues, parts of Southwest Florida could see total rainfall accumulations of 19 to 24 inches through Saturday as the storm system slowly moves northwest across the state, AccuWeather’s forecasters said.

The AccuWeather Local StormMax calls for up to 30 inches of rain possible in specific areas for the duration of this event.

“Torrential downpours from a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms have already flooded several areas in the Sunshine State,” Accuweather’s chief on-air meteorologist, Bernie Rayno, said in a statement. “It’s like a garden hose. Instead of it being on spray, it’s on stream, bringing heavy rain in one area. That’s why we’re seeing so much rain in Fort Myers and Sarasota.”

Rayno added, “The heaviest rain will be from Fort Myers to Sarasota and the Naples area Wednesday afternoon.”

The Miami area will see its heaviest rains arrive late Wednesday afternoon and evening, he said.

While the rain backs off late Wednesday into Thursday morning, it will pick up again Thursday afternoon.

With the storm system moving across the state, Thursday’s forecast also includes another rain band further north from Jacksonville to Apalachicola, Rayno said.

He says there will be travel delays, as roads and streets flood; homes and businesses could also be damaged by the water, and there will be thunderstorms, rough surf and rip currents along the coasts, he added.

Excessive runoff from the rain could flood rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations, as well as places with poor drainage and urban areas, the NWS warned.

“Although upper-level winds are expected to be only marginally conducive, some slow development is possible while the system moves northeastward offshore of the U.S. Southeast coast tonight through late week,” according to the NHC. “Regardless of development, heavy rainfall is forecast to continue across portions of the Florida peninsula during the next few days.”

The invest has a 10 percent chance of development over the next 48 hours and a 20 percent chance over the next seven days.

The rainfall started Monday night along parts of the west coast with the worst of the weather pummeling Southwest Florida Tuesday.

Here's the latest Tampa Bay-area forecast from the National Weather Service:

• Wednesday afternoon: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 97. South southwest wind around 9 mph.
• Wednesday night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 77. South wind 3 to 6 mph.
• Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 1 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 1 and 2 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 100. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Thursday night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 77. South southwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.
• Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 90. Southeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
• Friday night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 2 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Low around 78. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.
• Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 8 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.
• Saturday night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 77. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
• Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. East wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.
• Sunday night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 78. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.