South Florida gets soaked, while most of the country digs out of the snow
While much of the country is dealing with dangerous winter storms bringing frigid temperatures, lost power and record-breaking snow, Miami-Dade and Broward received quite a soaking Tuesday.
The wet weather led to power outages, heavy gusts, marine warnings and flash flood warnings in municipalities including Miami Beach, Miami Shores, Surfside and North Miami.
“The coastal cities got hammered,” said Harry Weinman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.
And there may be more rain Wednesday. Forecasters say there is a 40 percent chance of another wet day.
“Tomorrow doesn’t appear to be as impactful as today,” said Weinman. “But it’s not out of the question.”
Though the tallies for rainfall Tuesday were not complete, Weinman said there were cities that saw anywhere from 4 to 6 inches of rain.
Melissa Berthier, a spokeswoman for Miami Beach, said there was “widespread” flooding with North Bay Road being hit the hardest.
Pictures and videos show ankle-deep water in some areas of the Beach, along with flooded garages and soggy streets. Alton Road, a main thoroughfare, was flooded.
“Please Be Careful EdgeWater... Flash Floods around N. Bayshore Drive Between 17-20 St.,” Miami police spokesman Freddie Cruz wrote on Twitter.
Coral Springs police used the bad weather as a reminder to drive safely.
“As bad weather continues to affect our area, please be aware of the hazards caused by poor visibility while driving in the rain,” the department tweeted. “Don’t allow distractions (such as phones and smart devices) to increase your risk of causing crashes endangering those in and around our community.”
Throughout the day, the National Weather Service in Miami issued significant weather advisories and flash-flood advisories and warnings for portions of Miami-Dade, including the cities of Miami and Miami Beach, and Broward. By Tuesday evening, portions of Miami-Dade and Broward remained under a flood advisory.
“Flash Flood Warning remains in effect for extremely dangerous driving conditions and potential for water to invade structures in low-lying areas,” NWS said at about 4 p.m.. “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!”
Weinman said Tuesday’s rain was courtesy of a cold front stalling over South Florida. The front, he said, is expected to push north Wednesday.
This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 5:21 PM.
