In just 24 hours, a moisture-laden storm drenched Sarasota, Florida with more rain than it received over five consecutive days during Hurricane Ian 2022.
The excessive rainfall is a product of the Caribbean plume currently hitting the area, causing floods in southwest Florida, including Fort Myers and Sarasota, breaking a 52-year-old rainfall record in Sarasota in just one hour.
During Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm that hit Sarasota in September 2022, the city experienced nearly eight inches of rain over five days, leaving over a million people without power.
Although the current storm might not be as severe as a hurricane in terms of wind speed, flooding remains a significant threat. A flood watch in south Florida has been extended until Thursday.
South Florida is expected to continue experiencing a concentration of tropical moisture throughout the week, leading to potential flooding in urban and poorly drained areas due to the soaked grounds.
The National Hurricane Center predicts the storm may evolve into a tropical cyclone within the next week. Severe weather warnings, including flood advisories and flash flood alerts, have been issued for south Florida.