Heavy afternoon thunderstorms drenched South Florida on Monday, leaving behind flooded streets, stranded cars, and major travel delays during the evening rush hour.
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In Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood, flooding once again turned 23rd Street near Biscayne Boulevard into a temporary canal. Residents say the problem happens every time it rains heavily.
The city deployed two large pumps to push gallons of water back into Biscayne Bay, but for many neighbors, it wasn’t enough.
“It’s very, very frustrating that I have to deal with this and the flooding,” said resident Michael Blunt, who has lived in the area for three years. “Many times I have to take off my shoes and roll up my pants just to walk through the water to get home.”
Another resident, who has lived nearby for four years, said cars are often left stalled in the deep puddles:
“Every time there is rain, the street becomes an ocean. We were promised this was going to be fixed, but I don’t see anything change.”
Two separate weather notices — a Flash Flood Alert and an Aerial Flood Advisory — were issued for South Florida as two to four inches of rain fell in a short period, with some areas seeing up to two more inches on top of that.
The conditions were especially problematic for low-lying and poor-drainage areas, where flooding developed quickly.
Flash flooding was also reported in Little Havana and Tamiami, with streets under water and traffic slowed to a crawl.
The storms extended beyond the roads, causing ripple effects at major airports.
At Miami International Airport, weather conditions led to hundreds of delays and dozens of cancellations. Officials even issued a ground stop to temporarily halt flights.
Travelers expressed frustration with the hours-long wait.
“It is frustrating because I was planning to work while I waited for my flight… I’ve wasted a lot of time,” one passenger said.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport also issued a ground stop as storms moved through Broward County.
