Palm Beach records 17 inches of rain in six hours

Seventeen inches of rain fell in Palm Beach Gardens over a six hour period on Sunday, November 1. The National Weather Service in Miami classified the event as a 1,000 year rain event. Such an occurrence has only a 0.1 percent chance of happening at a specific location in any given year.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms swept across South Florida on Sunday, saturating the ground and flooding streets in several communities. By Sunday afternoon, many spots along the southeast coast and near Lake Okeechobee had collected 1 to 3 inches of water. Areas farther inland saw even more. Isolated locations in Glades and Hendry counties recorded between 4 and 6 inches.

The Treasure Coast also received substantial precipitation, with parts of Palm Beach County logging more than a foot of rain. Miami-Dade County experienced intense thunderstorms that produced 3 to 5 inches of rain in some areas. These totals prompted a flash flood warning on Sunday afternoon.

The rain paused on Monday morning, but radar images showed activity returning by the afternoon. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for North Central Miami-Dade County due to strong winds of at least 60 mph. The warning ended shortly after 4 p.m., though heavy rain continued across South Florida through the afternoon.

Rainfall totals near Melbourne exceeded expectations on Monday. More than 26 inches of rain fell in a 24 hour period, with some areas near Melbourne recording over 2 feet of water. Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli noted on social media that multiple cities saw 12 to 24 inches of rain without a tropical storm. He stated that he had never seen such conditions in his years as a meteorologist.

The unsettled weather is expected to persist into Tuesday, the day of the election. A few heavy showers and thunderstorms are possible, particularly over South Florida. There is a marginal risk for flash floods from South Florida through the East Central Florida region.

Residents in South Florida can expect a warm and humid Election Day with a mix of clouds and sunshine. Scattered showers may develop throughout the day, with high temperatures near 86 degrees in Miami. Central Florida will see a mix of sunshine and clouds, with occasional showers likely in the late morning and afternoon. Temperatures in Orlando should reach the lower to mid 80s, with a high near 84 degrees.

North Florida voters should anticipate a few passing showers, especially in the morning and early afternoon. Jacksonville will have periods of sunshine between showers, with highs near 82 degrees. The Florida Panhandle will be mostly cloudy, but much of the daytime should remain dry. High temperatures will reach the upper 70s, with rain chances increasing late Tuesday night.

Florida Public Radio Emergency Network posted a forecast for Tuesday, noting that a few showers would move across southeast Florida and into the Southwest during the day. The agency advised residents to keep an umbrella handy.