Florida town tops 100 inches of rain, crowns wettest major city in America so far in 2023
Heavy rains and life-threatening floods hit Florida
A near-stationary boundary extending from the Florida Keys to the central Gulf of Mexico and developing waves of low pressure along it will produce a few areas of possible heavy rainfall along the central Gulf Coast and southern Florida over the next few days.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida – It may fall squarely in the “Sunshine State,” but Fort Lauderdale is currently crowned as the wettest major city in America this year, with more than 100 inches of rain falling so far — and counting.
As more heavy rain continues to fall this week, Fort Lauderdale was sitting at nearly 102 inches of rain this year as of Wednesday morning — less than an inch from the wettest year on record of 102.56 inches in 1947. Forecasts call for the number The standard should be higher. It falls later Wednesday or Thursday.
This is the wettest hour and minute in American history
Fort Lauderdale averages about 60.95 inches of rainfall per year.
Drone video shows cars submerged and destroyed during historic floods in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (@douglasthron777 / X)
According to FOX Weather’s Senior Weather Data Specialist Shane BrownFort Lauderdale currently leads every major city on America’s official weather reporting station in terms of annual precipitation. This also includes rainy Hilo, Hawaii (86.05 inches) and Forks, Washington (70.24 inches).
It even beats out the small towns along Washington’s Olympic Rainforest—typically the wettest place in the Lower 48. Quinault has received 99.52 inches of rain so far, while the town of Humptulip is approaching 98.35 inches.
There are a few small towns in Alaska like Ketchikan and Yakutat that get more than 102 inches of rain, as well as some remote stations in mountainous areas, but as far as big cities go, none are like Fort Lauderdale.
How did Fort Lauderdale get 100 inches of rain?
Although Fort Lauderdale only received 0.03 inch of rain in January, the city reached the century mark thanks to several heavy rain events — none more impactful than the historic April 13 flood rain event.
The city received more than 25 inches of rain in 24 hours, a preliminary statewide record for daily rainfall.
The city will go for six straight months with above-average rainfall, including 27 days this year with at least an inch of rain.
How the tropical paradise is home to the wettest spots in the country
Rainfall totals will get another boost this week
There won’t be a squeeze in South Florida anytime soon.
A tropical low pressure area is bringing another round of heavy rain and flooding to the region this week. Fort Lauderdale already received 2.75 inches on Tuesday and could see additional rain of 6-8 inches or more through Thursday night.
7 million Floridians are at risk of flooding, with a foot of rain possible by Friday
A flood watch remains in effect until Thursday.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to provide additional clarification that Fort Lauderdale leads every major U.S. city with an official weather reporting station as noted in the first paragraph.
