Fort Lauderdale and parts of South Florida have been ravaged by rainfall in a once-in-a-half-century flash flooding event.
Forecasts foresee more precipitation Thursday after Wednesday’s substantial downpour, and additional flooding is expected, though Thursday’s predicted rainfall is unlikely to exceed that of the previous day, according to CNN.
Flash Flood Emergency has been issued for parts of Broward County, Florida until 11pm ET on Wednesday.
FOX Weather meteorologist @MarissaTorresTV has the latest. #FLwx pic.twitter.com/S6zckwpU6c
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) April 13, 2023
Broward County closed schools and shut down the airport, and some drivers had no choice but to abandon their vehicles.
Officials advised travelers to remain in the airport for their own safety despite delays and cancellations, according to NBC Miami.
“We were in the car from literally 4:00 until about 7:00 when we managed to finally leave the airport,” said Marylin Herrera, who dropped her mother off at the airport for a flight to Los Angeles. “Everybody appears to be losing their mind. There’s traffic. Everyone’s trying to get out of the flooded streets. Cars are stalling. It’s just a nightmare.” (RELATED: Devastating Tornado Sweeps Through Missouri, Leaving At Least 5 Dead: Report)
A flood warning remains in place until noon on Thursday as authorities continue to report flooding caused by rainfall amounts of 16 to 20 inches or greater in the area, according to the National Weather Service.
This warning comes after a flash flood emergency, the highest class of flood warning, expired early Thursday.
As a reminder, we don’t recommend swimming in flood waters.
Florida received intense rainfall for hours today shutting down the Fort Lauderdale airport. #FLwx pic.twitter.com/QrYs8cc8ji
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) April 13, 2023
The Storm Prediction Center forecasts a slight risk of severe storms Thursday in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Jacksonville.
Fort Lauderdale officials are set to proclaim a state of emergency.
“Police and Fire Rescue continue to answer calls for service,” the city of Fort Lauderdale said in a Wednesday evening news release. “Public Works staff are clearing drains and operating pumps to mitigate the water as quickly as possible. Efforts have been made to relieve traffic congestion through prioritized signaling to assist individuals leaving the City. We are requesting drivers to stay off the roads and avoid the City of Fort Lauderdale until the water has subsided.”