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Waist-High Floods Hit Palm Beach After Record Rain
4 Nov
Summary
- Palm Beach County received record rainfall, causing waist-deep floods.
- The non-tropical storm system delivered unprecedented rainfall amounts.
- Key infrastructure and services were disrupted by widespread flooding.
Palm Beach County has been inundated by a record amount of rain over the past three days, with floodwaters reaching waist-high in some locations. The deluge disrupted numerous services, including closing polling locations and suspending Brightline rail between West Palm Beach and Orlando.
The area between President Donald J. Trump International Airport and Palm Beach Gardens received 18 to 19 inches of rain. A daily rainfall record for November 2, set in 1888, was broken with 7.39 inches recorded at the airport. This unusual rainfall occurred without a tropical system, a rarity for such high volumes.
Riviera Beach experienced the most severe flooding, with waist-deep water reported in some neighborhoods and damage to homes and vehicles. The Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center was activated and a State of Local Emergency was declared due to the widespread hazardous conditions.
The relentless "conveyer belt" of thunderstorms was attributed to a mid- to upper-level system, ample moisture from the Caribbean, and atmospheric conditions trapping storms along the coast. This pattern led to storms developing and lingering, causing "training" where one storm followed another.
Rain chances are expected to decrease significantly later this week as a cold front approaches and dry air moves in. Predictions show a drop to below 15% rain chances by Thursday, November 5, and Friday, November 6. Residents are strongly advised against walking, wading, or driving through floodwaters.
