The city of Miami warned Saturday afternoon several roads were inaccessible. At least one beach was temporarily closed. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials warned that the risk of flooding over the weekend is “high” across the county, especially in low-lying, poorly drained areas, and urged residents not to try. walking or driving. through flooded waters. About 100 vehicles were stranded overnight in flood waters across Miami, fire chief Joseph Zahralban told CNN affiliate WSVN. The county also issued a warning not to bathe for certain areas after officials announced sewer overflows. The overflow of local plant wastewater had the “potential to mix with the facility’s floodwaters and flow into adjacent surface water,” the county said in a press release. Residents and visitors were also urged to avoid activities such as fishing and boating.
Flood surveillance was in place in South Florida on Saturday, including Miami, until 8:00 p.m. ET.
The National Meteorological Service (NWS) said the heaviest rain bands from the storm system had moved to shore in the late afternoon, but warned that some isolated showers could continue and cause localized flooding. Follow the storm system here
Earlier, the NWS office in Miami said that in some areas it was raining between 6 and 11 inches.
Record rainfall was recorded Saturday for June 4 in West Palm Beach (which saw 4.5 inches of water), Fort Lauderdale (which saw 6.55 inches) and Miami (which saw 5 inches). , 24 inches), according to the NWS.
The potential Tropical Cycle 1 was poorly organized as it headed into the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday evening. At approximately 5 pm ET, the National Hurricane Center had the center of the storm approximately 40 miles northeast of Fort Pierce.
The storm is expected to intensify
The storm had sustained winds of about 45 mph and was moving rapidly northeast at about 18 mph, according to the center.
An earlier tropical storm warning for the east coast of Florida was suspended Saturday evening, but a warning was maintained for the northwestern Bahamas and a tropical storm watch was in place for Bermuda, he said. the center.
The newest hurricane center track shows that the storm system is getting strong enough to become Tropical Storm Alex in the next 12 hours, and then move north of Bermuda on Monday.
A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are possible.
Airlines canceled 841 flights on Friday amid multiple storm systems, FlightAware data showed.
U.S. airlines have warned that disruptions at Florida airports would last until the weekend.
CNN’s Gene Norman, Hannah Sarisohn and Greg Wallace contributed to this report.