Heavy rain to kick-start the weekend in South Florida as forecasters extend flood watch
The National Weather Service extended a flood watch through Friday evening for portions of South Florida following days of downpours, thunderstorms and flooding.
The watch covers Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties as the threat of flooding continues due to heavy rain and saturated soil.
Drivers faced flooded roadways Thursday afternoon in cities such as Cutler Bay and Hollywood as flash flood warnings were issued for the region, according to weather service meteorologist Ana Torres-Vazquez. She estimated that Miami-Dade and Broward got 2 to 4 inches of rain.
“It’s kind of a rinse and repeat,” she said.
READ MORE: The water ‘has no place to go.’ Cutler Bay streets flood as rain continues to fall
Heavy rain will likely continue Friday for large portions of South Florida. The weather service is forecasting a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning likely followed by even more rain in the afternoon and evening hours in Miami-Dade and Broward. The rain is expected to continue pouring Saturday with showers throughout the day, then partly cloudy after midnight.
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“People should remain weather aware, not drive on flooded roads and stay safe,” Torres-Vazquez said.
READ MORE: Can Saharan dust keep the rain and floods away from South Florida? What forecasters say
She added that Sunday could be a game changer — if the Saharan dust is able to quell the storms.
“The model continues to try to bring more of that Saharan dust to the region which could suppress the development of rain showers over our area,” Torres-Vazquez said. “However, there remains some uncertainty.”
READ MORE: Did South Florida really see 15 inches of rain? Here’s how much fell in your community
Last weekend, cars were stuck and drivers were stranded in downtown Miami and Brickell as what later became Tropical Storm Alex brought 8 to 10 inches of rain in Miami-Dade and Broward, with some isolated areas seeing 11 to 15 inches.
This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 2:35 PM.
