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Fort Lauderdale Is Drenched With Over a Foot of Rain, Shutting Its Airport Fort Lauderdale Is Drenched With Up to Two Feet of Rain, Shutting Its Airport
(about 1 hour later)
Late night thunderstorms that pummeled southeastern Florida with an estimated 15 to 20 inches of rain on Fort Lauderdale were expected to pick up again on Thursday, forecasters said, after the storms trapped motorists in floodwaters and left travelers stranded inside a shuttered international airport. Thunderstorms that pummeled Fort Lauderdale and other parts of southeastern Florida with up to two feet of rain were expected to pick up again on Thursday, forecasters said, after the storms trapped motorists in floodwaters and left travelers stranded inside a shuttered international airport.
Storms are a way of life in South Florida, but the torrential rain was so heavy that the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport closed early Wednesday evening. The airport announced a partial reopening early on Thursday, saying the upper level departures roadway was being cleared, but it was not expected to fully reopen until noon. Storms are a way of life in South Florida, but more than 25 inches of rain fell at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport over a 24-hour period, according to a preliminary estimate released by the National Weather Service. The airport closed early Wednesday evening and was expected to fully reopen at noon on Thursday.
If confirmed, the rainfall total would smash Fort Lauderdale’s one-day record of 14.59 inches, which was set on April 25, 1979. The city, which lies in Broward County on Florida’s Atlantic coast, is one of the largest in the state.
The closures, flooding and bad weather combined to cause hourslong traffic jams.The closures, flooding and bad weather combined to cause hourslong traffic jams.
“I’ve lived here my entire life,” said Dawn Grayson, 49, who sat in traffic for four hours after arriving at the airport to learn that her flight to Las Vegas had been canceled. “I’ve never seen anything like that happen before.”“I’ve lived here my entire life,” said Dawn Grayson, 49, who sat in traffic for four hours after arriving at the airport to learn that her flight to Las Vegas had been canceled. “I’ve never seen anything like that happen before.”
The skies over Fort Lauderdale eventually cleared, and there were no immediate reports of injuries. But for a few hours overnight, the Fort Lauderdale area was under a rare flash flood emergency — an alert reserved for situations where torrents of water pose a severe threat to human life and can cause catastrophic damage.The skies over Fort Lauderdale eventually cleared, and there were no immediate reports of injuries. But for a few hours overnight, the Fort Lauderdale area was under a rare flash flood emergency — an alert reserved for situations where torrents of water pose a severe threat to human life and can cause catastrophic damage.
That emergency expired at 2 a.m. Eastern time.That emergency expired at 2 a.m. Eastern time.
But the additional rainfall expected on Thursday would fall on ground that is already saturated, raising the possibility of further localized flooding, the National Weather Service said. A flood warning for parts of Broward County and other areas of South Florida was scheduled to remain in effect until 8 a.m. But the additional rainfall expected on Thursday would fall on ground that is already saturated, raising the possibility of further localized flooding, the Weather Service said. A flood warning for parts of Broward County and other areas of South Florida was scheduled to remain in effect until noon.
Other parts of South Florida were under a flood watch, indicating a lower level of risk, until Thursday evening. City facilities in Fort Lauderdale will not reopen until Friday.Other parts of South Florida were under a flood watch, indicating a lower level of risk, until Thursday evening. City facilities in Fort Lauderdale will not reopen until Friday.
The city, which lies in Broward County on Florida’s Atlantic coast, is one of the largest in the state. Its one-day rainfall record of 14.59 inches occurred on April 25, 1979.The city, which lies in Broward County on Florida’s Atlantic coast, is one of the largest in the state. Its one-day rainfall record of 14.59 inches occurred on April 25, 1979.
The estimate that 15 to 20 inches of rain fell in the Fort Lauderdale area on Wednesday is a rough one that was based on radar, Chris Fisher, the lead forecaster at the Weather Service Office in Miami, said by phone early Thursday.
Mr. Fisher said Wednesday’s precise rainfall total would likely become clearer later in the day, but that the storm was already “historic,” in part because April is typically a dry month in South Florida. He said he could not recall such significant flooding at the Fort Lauderdale airport.
Ms. Grayson said she and three family members left their home in nearby Miami-Dade County nearly five hours before their 8:45 p.m. flight. They all work for the family business and were heading to Las Vegas for a conference.Ms. Grayson said she and three family members left their home in nearby Miami-Dade County nearly five hours before their 8:45 p.m. flight. They all work for the family business and were heading to Las Vegas for a conference.
The drive, in torrential rain, took an hour, or three times longer than usual, Ms. Grayson said. Along the way, she saw water cascading off a flooded runway and cars stuck in floodwaters.The drive, in torrential rain, took an hour, or three times longer than usual, Ms. Grayson said. Along the way, she saw water cascading off a flooded runway and cars stuck in floodwaters.
By the time they arrived at the airport, it was closed, several parking garages were flooded, and airport staff and Uber drivers had joined the ranks of dazed airline passengers who were sheltering in place and wondering how to get home.By the time they arrived at the airport, it was closed, several parking garages were flooded, and airport staff and Uber drivers had joined the ranks of dazed airline passengers who were sheltering in place and wondering how to get home.
“I didn’t quite understand how we even got out of there because the weather was so bad,” Ms. Grayson said by phone early Thursday. “But we did, and then driving home was extremely scary.”“I didn’t quite understand how we even got out of there because the weather was so bad,” Ms. Grayson said by phone early Thursday. “But we did, and then driving home was extremely scary.”
Late Wednesday night, her seven-hour ordeal ended where it had started: at her home. Her mother and sister have managed to rebook flights to Las Vegas out of Miami. But she and her husband were not able to rebook, so they’ve canceled their trip.Late Wednesday night, her seven-hour ordeal ended where it had started: at her home. Her mother and sister have managed to rebook flights to Las Vegas out of Miami. But she and her husband were not able to rebook, so they’ve canceled their trip.
That may be just as well because floodwaters have seeped under the large doors of their workplace, in a warehouse district of Miami-Dade County, and someone needs to clean up.That may be just as well because floodwaters have seeped under the large doors of their workplace, in a warehouse district of Miami-Dade County, and someone needs to clean up.
“They’re going, and we’re going back to work tomorrow,” she said with a laugh. “Back to life.”“They’re going, and we’re going back to work tomorrow,” she said with a laugh. “Back to life.”
Christine Hauser contributed reporting. Christine Hauser and Judson Jones contributed reporting.