Miami roads flood after tropical moisture shatters daily rain record

Consistent rainfall in southwest Florida continues to flood roads, and some travelers are choosing to drive through the floodwaters.

The National Weather Service warned that showers may bring between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of rainfall.

MIAMI – Miami shattered a daily rain record Monday, as rounds of heavy rain flooded streets in the metro area and across large portions of Central and South Florida.

The system responsible for the rounds of rain is now offshore, but deep tropical moisture from the Gulf remains in place and could bring scattered showers to the Sunshine State through Tuesday afternoon.

Miami tallied 4.35 inches of rain on Monday, breaking the city's daily record for May 12 of 2.72 inches, set in 1943.

FLOODING RAIN DRENCHES HELENE-RAVAGED WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, TORNADO CAUSES DAMAGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Monday also marked Miami's rainiest May day since 2020.

A Level 3 out of 4 flash flood risk was issued for most of South Florida on Monday, as heavy rain swamped the area. 

Road flooding was observed as far west and north as Interstate 75 in St. Petersburg, Florida.

RECORD-SETTING, SMELLY SARGASSUM SEAWEED HEADED FOR SOUTH FLORIDA IN MAY

Heavy rain brings flooding to St. Petersburg, FL

Flooding from rounds of rain swamps part of Interstate 75 in St. Petersburg, Florida (Video Credit: Franklin Alves via Storyful).

Amid the showers and thunderstorms, a waterspout was spotted forming near Leesburg, Florida, around sunset.

That comes after severe storms damaged parts of the Florida Panhandle over the weekend.

Sunset waterspout forms near Leesburg, Florida amid drenching storms

A waterspout formed during sunset in Leesburg, Florida amid rounds of storms as a system charged with tropical moisture brought flooding to Central and South Florida.

As showers depart on Tuesday afternoon, drier air will return for the next several days.

SEE IT: LARGE WATERSPOUT SPOTTED ROARING ASHORE ALONG FLORIDA COAST

Flooding rain swamps Florida roads, puts dent in ongoing drought

Miami shattered a daily rain record Monday, as rounds of heavy rain flooded streets in the metro area and across large portions of Central and South Florida.

Rain will help ease Florida drought conditions

This rain will help improve Florida's ongoing drought as the state transitions from its dry season into the wetter months.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, every major weather station in the Florida Peninsula was running between 2 and 9 inches below average for the year as of Monday. 

Forecasters expect that enough moisture has fallen in the past three days to put a significant dent in those ongoing rain deficits.

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