At least 15 inches of rain falls in Florida county as flash flood danger continues
Between 15 and 20 inches of rain have fallen in parts of Florida, turning roads into rivers, submerging cars and coming close to the state's single-day rainfall record.
These rainfall levels have been observed in southeastern Brevard County in east central Florida, with 2 to 6 inches of additional rain possible.
The current one-day Florida rainfall record total is 23.28 inches in Key West in 1980, when moisture associated with Hurricane Jeanne in the Gulf interacted with a stationary boundary over South Florida.
A stationary boundary, also known as or stationary front, is a weather transition zone between a cold air mass and a warm air mass during which neither has enough strength to replace the other
Brevard Public Schools posted on Facebook on Monday that they are closed due to flooding. It's unclear when they will reopen.
Meanwhile, a flash flood warning continues for West Melbourne, Palm Bay and Grant-Valkaria.
Earlier on Monday, NWS Melbourne issued a warning for Brevard County residents to move to higher ground, referring to the potential flash floods as a "life-threatening situation."
There are other flood warnings in central Florida where around 8 to 10 inches of rain has fallen so far.
National Weather Service Miami wrote in a post on X that as of 2 p.m. ET, flash flood warnings are in effect across south and central Florida.
Meanwhile, two flash flood warnings remain in effect across central and northern Palm Beach County, with a flood watch in effect for all of south Florida through 7 p.m. ET.
The National Weather Service said a Level 3 out of 4 moderate risk of excessive rain is in place across portions of Florida "due to significant rainfall and high-end impacts."
"Remember to listen to local officials and never drive through flooded roadways," the NWS posted on X.
The Port St. Lucie Police Department posted a notice on Facebook that "significant water accumulation" has occurred in St. Lucie West, "creating hazardous driving conditions and making several roadways difficult to navigate."
Police are urging motorists to avoid the area unless absolutely necessary and to not attempt to drive through standing water. Drivers should turn around and find an alternate route, and not underestimate the depth of floodwaters, according to the department.
"Our officers are actively responding to calls involving vehicles stranded in high-water conditions," the department said. "We are continuing to monitor conditions and will provide updates as road closures and other traffic impacts develop."
