Historic Fort Lauderdale Rainfall Forces Airport to Close and Leaves Drivers Stranded for Hours
More than 15 inches of rain fell on South Florida Wednesday
More than 15 inches of rain fell on South Florida Wednesday, stranding motorists, halting schools and shutting down the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The deluge came on the third day of rain in the region, during what is typically known as South Florida's dry season, according to NBC 6 South Florida.
Parts of Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise, Lauderhill and Dania Beach were under a flash flood emergency until early Thursday morning, as authorities in the area continue to caution about unsafe road conditions and begin rescue operations.
In Fort Lauderdale, Emergency Operations Center services have been activated, and the office was in the process of issuing a proclamation of a local state of emergency, the city of Fort Lauderdale said Thursday morning.
Airboats and "high clearance buggies" are being deployed to support rescue operations, the city added.
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Fort Lauderdale city offices, as well as Broward County public schools, are closed Thursday, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
Fort Lauderdale's City Hall was still without power as of Thursday morning, the city said.
The area's airport — which closed Wednesday after high water overwhelmed planes, passengers and pedestrians in the area — is expected to reopen Thursday afternoon.
Would-be travelers said getting to the airport was a "nightmare" before they learned they wouldn't be going anywhere.
"I've lived here my entire life," Dawn Grayson told The New York Times about her four-hour trip to the airport. "I've never seen anything like that happen before."
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According to the National Weather Service, the one-day record for total rainfall was set on April 25, 1979, when Fort Lauderdale received 14.59 inches of rain. Meteorologists estimate that Wednesday's storm dumped between 15 to 20 inches in the immediate area, and that a more accurate assessment will be made on Thursday, per The Times.
A cold front that moved into the area late Sunday, and then stalled across the nearby Florida straits, triggered the fulsome showers and storms, according to NBC 6.
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Now, while the region looks to dry out, authorities are warning residents to be aware of the storm's aftermath.
"It's extremely dangerous here in the Fort Lauderdale area," NWS meteorologist Chuck Caracozza told NBC News. "People should be avoiding the roads and staying off the roads."
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