Heavy rain floods Central Florida as rescue crews deploy to Panhandle ahead of Hurricane Isaias
Heavy rain floods Central Florida as rescue crews deploy to Panhandle
Heavy rain flooded streets and threatened homes across parts of Central Florida on Thursday as emergency crews warned drivers to stay away from roads covered by water.
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Heavy rain flooded streets and threatened homes across parts of Central Florida on Thursday as emergency crews warned drivers to stay away from roads covered by water.
Flooded streets in Melbourne
Local perspective:
In Melbourne, several streets were underwater, including Avignon Drive, where a vehicle stalled after attempting to drive through the flooding. A FOX 35 crew helped push the stranded vehicle to safety.
Flooding was also reported near Fountainhead Boulevard and the Ridgewood Club condominiums, where water covered sidewalks and reached an estimated 8 inches to a foot deep in some areas.
Nearby, a resident was working to clear a drain after water flooded his daughter's garage and backyard and rose to the edge of her swimming pool.
Water threatens homes in Winter Springs
Flooding was also causing problems elsewhere across Central Florida. In Winter Springs, water from a nearby pond spilled onto McGregor Avenue and approached some homes. One resident said passing vehicles were pushing water toward properties and that water had previously reached halfway into his garage.
City crews were pumping water from the area, but residents said the work provided only a temporary solution because the pond is on private property. Officials said they would continue monitoring trouble spots as more rain moved through.
Emergency officials urged drivers who encounter flooded roads to turn around rather than attempt to drive through the water.
Rescue crews deploy ahead of Hurricane Isaias
Meanwhile, Central Florida search-and-rescue teams were deploying ahead of Hurricane Isaias. A 45-member team from Orlando and Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties and a 25-member team from Marion County, Ocala and Gainesville were heading to Tallahassee to prepare for possible rescue operations after the hurricane.
NHC says Isaias could get stronger
Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 2 storm Thursday as it moved toward the northern Gulf Coast, where officials warned of dangerous flooding, storm surge and damaging winds.
NHC warns Hurricane Isaias could strengthen further as it approaches Gulf Coast
Hurricane Isaias strengthened into a Category 2 storm Thursday as it moved toward the northern Gulf Coast, where officials warned of dangerous flooding, storm surge, and damaging winds. Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph Thursday evening and could strengthen further overnight, Jamie Rhome, deputy director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, told FOX 35.
Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph Thursday evening and could strengthen further overnight, Jamie Rhome, deputy director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, told FOX 35.
"There’s continued potential for more strengthening overnight," Rhome said, adding that Isaias could briefly reach Category 3 strength before weakening as it approaches land late Friday into Saturday.
Storm surge could reach 5 to 7 feet
One of the greatest concerns is storm surge along coastal Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The National Hurricane Center said water could rise 5 to 7 feet in some locations.
"That would be potentially over my head in some locations," Rhome said.
The exact location of the highest water will depend on where Isaias crosses the coast, but Rhome said coastal Alabama and the Florida Panhandle face the greatest threat under the current forecast.
Flooding threat extends inland
Heavy rain and flooding will remain a concern well beyond the coast. Rhome said Isaias is expected to spread rain across a large portion of the Southeast after moving inland, with the greatest flooding threat along the northern Gulf Coast.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared byemergency management officials and the National Hurricane Center in Miami.