The final rainfall figures are coming in and they are historic. Fort Lauderdale was drenched in about 26 inches of rain on Wednesday, more than 11 inches more than previous figures!
The size of the belt of heavy rain is also a headache. From Oakland Park in the north to Plantation in the west to Hallandale Beach in the south, more than 10 inches of rain fell within 12 hours.
So how did this happen?
The front moved through South Florida late Sunday, stalled A few days across the Florida Strait.
A northerly high pressure system established an east-to-west moving plume of moisture in the region. Heavy rain fell from the Atlantic on Monday and Tuesday. The rain was impressive, but this was just an appetizer.
A low pressure system began to develop along the central Gulf front and moved northward. As a result, the stagnant southern front returned to the north, but acted as a warm front.
Winds impinge along all types of fronts, pushing air up into the atmosphere. As the air rises, it cools and condenses, eventually forming rain.
that’s exactly warm front was crossing South Florida on Wednesday, the front was moving slowly.
This allowed the winds to hit the same area for hours on end. Due to the placement of the front, northern Miami-Dade and Broward County received the heaviest rainfall. Rainfall ranged from 2 to 3 inches per hour for 6 to 12 hours. The result was historic rainfall and flooding.
Interestingly, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Key West receive the most rainfall per day during the “dry season.” This indicates that heavy rains can occur in any month. All you need is a trigger.
