Flash floods hit South Florida after 20-plus inches of rain. How does Delaware compare?

Greg Giesen, Delaware News Journal
Updated ·2 min read

Parts of Florida are under a state of emergency after a slow-moving storm dropped upward of 20 inches of rain on South Florida.

The storm system started moving through the region Tuesday and caused extensive flooding in the region.

Has Delaware seen this much rain?

According to records from the Delaware Climate Office, the most rain Delaware has received in 24 hours was 12.48 inches on Sept. 28 to 29, 2016, in Haberson.

Annually, Delaware receives 45 inches of precipitation. So Florida will receive more than half of the state's yearly total in less than three days.

Delaware weather forecast: First heat wave of year coming next week

What if Florida's rain was snow?

According to omnicalculator.com's rain-to-snow calculator, given temperatures sitting around the freezing mark (27 to 34 degrees), Florida would have received roughly 200 inches of snow or 16.5 feet of snow.

Hurricane season

The heavy rains might be the beginning of a very wet hurricane season in Florida. here's a look at the hurricane forecasts:

NOAA's forecast

  • Seventeen to 25 total named storms — winds of 39 mph or higher

  • Eight to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes — winds of 74 mph or higher

  • Four to seven are expected to be major hurricanes — a category 3 storm with winds at 111 mph or greater.

Forecasters from Colorado State University

  • 23 named storms this year

  • 11 will become hurricanes

  • Five will become major hurricanes

Accuweather.com

  • 20 to 25 named storms

  • Eight to 12 hurricanes

  • Four to seven major hurricanes

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Flash flooding South Florida: Has Delaware received this much rain?