Forecasters have warned Floridians to brace themselves for another bout of heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding. This warning follows a tropical disturbance that unleashed up to 20 inches of rain in the southern regions earlier this week, with worsening conditions expected to continue into Friday.
As the disorganized storm system swept across Florida from the Gulf of Mexico, it coincided with the early June start of hurricane season. This season is predicted to be one of the most active in recent memory, raising concerns that climate change is intensifying storm activity.
The torrential downpours began on Tuesday and persisted into Wednesday, causing significant disruptions. Flights were delayed at two of the state’s largest airports, and many vehicles were left waterlogged and stalled on some of the region’s lowest-lying streets.
On Thursday, travelers scrambled to salvage their plans while residents worked to clear debris in anticipation of more rain.
The National Weather Service has cautioned that even smaller amounts of precipitation could exacerbate conditions in already saturated areas, leading to further flash flooding on Friday. Ted Rico, a tow truck driver, described the chaotic scene he encountered while helping to clear the streets of abandoned vehicles.
“Looked like the beginning of a zombie movie,” Rico said. “There’s cars littered everywhere, on top of sidewalks, in the median, in the middle of the street, no lights on. Just craziness, you know. Abandoned cars everywhere.”
Rico, who was born and raised in Miami and works for One Master Trucking Corp., noted that he was prepared for the emergency. “You know when it’s coming,” he said. “Every year it’s just getting worse, and for some reason people just keep going through the puddles.”
The severe weather also disrupted air travel significantly. At Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Thursday, ticket and security lines snaked around a domestic concourse, and about half of a terminal’s flights were canceled or postponed.
Bill Carlisle, a Navy petty officer first class, recounted his struggle to catch a flight back to Norfolk, Virginia, to abc News.
“It was a zoo,” Carlisle said. He arrived at Miami International Airport at around 6:30 a.m., but after 90 minutes in line, he realized he couldn’t get his bags checked and through security in time. “Nothing against the (airport) employees, there is only so much they can do.”
Carlisle booked an afternoon flight out of Fort Lauderdale, only to find it canceled. He then headed back to Miami for a 9 p.m. flight, hoping it wouldn’t be canceled due to the expected heavy rains later in the day. “Just a long day sitting in airports,” he said. “This is kind of par for the course for government travel.”
In Hallandale Beach, Alex Demchemko walked his Russian spaniel, Lex, along flooded sidewalks near his Airbnb. Demchemko, who arrived from Russia last month to seek asylum in the U.S., described the flooding as catastrophic.
“We didn’t come out from our apartment, but we had to walk with our dog,” Demchemko said. “A lot of flashes, rain, a lot of floating cars and a lot of left cars without drivers, and there was a lot of water on the streets.”
Residents like Daniela Urrieche and Charlea Johnson shared similar experiences. Urrieche, who has lived in the area for nine years, said, “In the nine years that I’ve lived here, this has been the worst. Even in a hurricane, streets were not as bad as it was in the past 24 hours.”
Johnson spent Wednesday night dealing with flooding inside her Hallandale Beach home. “The water just started flooding in the back and flooding in the front,” she said, describing how she had to bail water into the sink and toilet.
As Floridians brace for more rain, the National Weather Service emphasizes the importance of staying prepared and cautious, particularly in areas already inundated with water.
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