Fort Lauderdale, Florida, experienced the rainiest day in its history Wednesday – a 1-in-1,000-year rainfall event.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport said flights would not resume until Friday, after water and debris covered its runways.
The closures, flooding and bad weather combined to cause hourslong traffic jams.
Local news outlets broadcast images of runways at the airport inundated with water, and of residents, holding their belongings, wading through dark, waist-high flooding in the streets.
#TravelAlert (Update No. 7) pic.twitter.com/M3hssZi1KL
— Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int’l Airport (FLL) (@FLLFlyer) April 13, 2023
The NWS preliminary 24-hour rainfall totals across Southeast Florida are shown below. A stationary supercell thunderstorm centered near Fort Lauderdale produced prolonged periods 3+ inches of rain per hour! Many roadways in the area remain flooded. #TurnAroundDontDrown pic.twitter.com/ZadLVHNUCN
— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) April 13, 2023
This is from my friend @boograyson. Has been stuck in her car for an hour at Fort Lauderdale airport due to intense flooding. pic.twitter.com/bCOOGqzfLP
— Thomas Kennedy (@tomaskenn) April 12, 2023