Fort Lauderdale Airport Reopens After Flash-Flooding Puts streets Under Water
Miami Herald
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport reopened early Monday morning after rain and flash floods shut it down for several hours during one of the busiest travel days of the year.
“FLL has reopened, and flight operations are resuming. There are roadway delays due to this morning’s flooding,” the airport said in an update shortly before 6:30 a.m. “Plan accordingly by allowing extra time and contact your airline for the latest flight status.”
Passengers were allowed to enter the terminals about an hour before the airport resumed flights.
In the early-morning hours, passengers did not have access to the main airport entrances because of flooding in the area and flights were postponed.
On Sunday night, before the flooding, the Broward airport reported that 152 flights were delayed and 11 were canceled because of storms.
All-night rain, amounting up to a foot in some places, also has flooded streets along the U.S. 1 corridor in Hollywood, Dania Beach and Hallandale Beach in South Broward. Local police departments warned drivers to stay away.
The National Weather Service in Miami says they’ve seen a widespread three to six inches of new rainfall in Northeast Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward overnight.
The highest amount of rain so far has been recorded in the area around Fort Lauderdale International Airport and in Hallandale Beach.
The region remains under a flood advisory as the water begins to recede, according to the National Weather Service. The advisory, covering Southeast Broward and Northeast Miami-Dade, has been extended to 7::45 a.m. Monday.
The city of Hollywood says streets east of U.S. 1 and along Park Road are severely flooded. A local Starbucks near Interstate 95 and Sheridan delayed its usual 5 a.m. opening because surrounding streets and parking lots are underwater.
Drivers should also be careful during their morning commute.
Besides flooded roads, you might find traffic lights not working throughout Miami-Dade and Broward County such as the one at the busy intersection of Southwest 87th Avenue and Eighth Street. Treat it like a four-way stop and drive with caution.
The rain, which started after midnight, will ease through the day and make way for cooler temperatures Monday evening, with temperatures dipping to the low-60s.
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