The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has reopened after temporarily shutting down because of excessive rain and flooding, as the historic rainfall totals topped 25 inches at the airport.
In its ninth travel update early Friday morning, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport announced operations were set to begin at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.
“Travelers are advised to check with their airlines for updated flight times BEFORE coming to the airport. Thanks for your patience as we work to restore normal operations,” the update read:
#Travel Alert ( Update No. 9): Airline operations at #FLL are set to begin at 9AM, Friday, April 14, 2023. Travelers are advised to check with their airlines for updated flight times BEFORE coming to the airport. Thanks for your patience as we work to restore normal operations.
— Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Int'l Airport (FLL) (@FLLFlyer) April 14, 2023
The airport initially closed because of excessive flooding, with rainfall totals reaching 15-25 inches in areas of Broward County and Miami-Dade, per the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
“The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and Ft. Lauderdale International Airport’s Florida Severe Weather MesoSTEM Network, which provides hyper-accurate local data, has registered 25.87 inches of rain,” the department wrote in an update provided Thursday.
The Weather Channel cited one woman, Valerie Bell, who sat on a plane for hours at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Wednesday night.
“Our cellphones were beeping all the time about tornado warnings. So you can imagine how vulnerable we felt,” she said, describing the scene.
“We were on the plane there, stuck in the plane, and all around us it was a lake. It wasn’t just puddles, it had covered the tarmac,” she added.
VIDEO: Flights Canceled, Travelers Stranded in Ft. Lauderdale Airport Because of Severe Flooding
Ben Aird via StoryfulAccording to data from FlightAware, 33 percent of outgoing flights from the Fort Lauderdale airport have been canceled as of 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
Meanwhile, Broward County schools remain closed through Monday.
“Schools and district offices will remain closed on Friday, April 14. Afterschool activities, events, and extracurricular activities are also cancelled, along with Success Saturdays tutoring. Schools and administrative offices are expected to be open on Monday, April 17th,” the update read:
Schools and district offices will remain closed on Friday, April 14. Afterschool activities, events, and extracurricular activities are also cancelled, along with Success Saturdays tutoring.
Schools and administrative offices are expected to be open on Monday, April 17th. pic.twitter.com/kVLbm5iII6
— Broward Schools (@browardschools) April 13, 2023
WATCH: Florida Drivers Attempt to Drive in Massively High Floodwaters
DA Ellis via StoryfulFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who is set to deliver a speech at Liberty University in Virginia on Friday, declared a state of emergency for Broward County Thursday:
I have declared a State of Emergency for Broward County in response to severe flooding. @FLSERT has resources on the ground and is providing aid.
Residents in these areas should follow all orders from local officials and stay away from floodwaters.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 13, 2023
According to NWS Miami, the rain has subsided for the southern portion of the state, ending the Flood Watch for “coastal/metro Miami-Dade and Broward.” It appears the last flood warning expired at 8 a.m.”:
The Flood Watch for coastal/metro Miami-Dade and Broward has been cancelled as the heavy rain has come to an end. However, be advised that a Flood Warning for the Fort Lauderdale metro area remains in effect through 8 AM Friday as numerous roads remain closed from previous rain. https://t.co/gW9tWXsADK
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) April 14, 2023
4/14 5AM- A flood warning remains in effect until 8am this morning. If driving this morning, please exercise caution and avoid roads that still have standing water. As for today's weather, a few showers and storms are possible again along the east coast. #flwx pic.twitter.com/yWfseshghE
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) April 14, 2023
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