A Florida storm that led to flash floods, submerged roads, mass flight cancellations, stalled cars, and power outages on Wednesday is just the beginning of an active hurricane season, meteorologists said.
Torrential rains hit South Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday, prompting officials to warn the public of “life-threatening flooding” in some areas, NBC News reported. The storm marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season—the latest start to the season since 2014, when the first storm did not hit until July 1, according to AccuWeather.
Despite this year’s late start, AccuWeather meteorologists predicted that 2024 would be a “super-charged year for tropical systems,” and expected “multiple threats” to the U.S., the Caribbean, and Central America.
In Florida, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Miami received reports of flash flooding from Fort Lauderdale to downtown Miami. The storm has dumped more than 10 inches of rain in some regions, The New York Times reported. AccuWeather estimated that the total rainfall in some parts of southwestern Florida could reach between 18 and 24 inches.
The NWS in Miami posted on X that many regions were “inundated with water” and stalled cars, and that even more rain was on the way.
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In Hollywood, near Fort Lauderdale, drivers became trapped in their cars after driving on the flooded roads, NBC South Florida reported. Photos and videos of the flooding went viral on social media, with some footage showing cars nearly fully submerged underwater.
The NWS in Miami told the Times that it…
