Flights at Fort Lauderdale airport disrupted as it floods, hails in parts of South Florida

A flood watch was issued Wednesday along the coastal and metro areas of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties as a slow-moving storm dropped several inches of rain — downing trees, stalling vehicles and even causing disruptions at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

The flood watch, issued Wednesday afternoon, was canceled around 8:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Miami.

“A few locations could experience rainfall totals in excess of 3-4 inches today within a short period of time,” the weather service said in an email around noon. “This may lead to localized flooding, while an isolated instance of flash flooding cannot be ruled out.”

According to the weather service, rainfall totals could exceed 5 inches in some parts of South Florida. Hail was observed in parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties as well as in a Miami-Dade neighborhood.

“Some locations are saturated from recent rainfall, which may exacerbate the flooding threat for recently soaked areas,” the weather service said.

A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It doesn’t mean flooding will occur, but it’s possible.

How did the storm impact airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale?

A 49 mph gust was detected around 3:30 p.m. at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as strong storms moved directly over the area, the weather service said on Twitter. Additional strong wind gusts and hail remain possible Wednesday.

Due to flooding at the Fort Lauderdale airport, the entrance to the arrivals and departures levels at East Perimeter Road (near the Cell Phone Waiting Area) was closed, the airport said around 4:15 p.m. on Twitter. It was reopened around 7 p.m. after flood waters receded and stalled vehicles were removed.

At least two dozen flights to the Fort Lauderdale airport had been diverted to other locations such as Southwest Florida International Airport in the Fort Myers area as of Wednesday evening, according to the airport’s website. Around 80 flights coming and going from the Fort Lauderdale airport have been delayed, Arlene Satchell, a spokeswoman of the Broward County Aviation Department, told the Miami Herald on Wednesday night.

“Flight impacts above are likely due to several factors including inclement weather over parts of the U.S., airline or federal airspace operational decisions, among other issues,” Satchell said.

Miami International Airport has received two airplanes that were supposed to land at the Fort Lauderdale airport if not for the bad weather, Greg Chin, communications director of Miami-Dade Aviation Department, confirmed to the Herald.

Did it hail in South Florida? How strong was the wind?

Pea-sized hail and downed trees were observed in parts of Palm Beach County as a strong thunderstorm moved through the area in the afternoon. And a 62 mph wind gust was reported in Glades Central Community High School in Belle Glade.

A 45 mph wind gust was detected at Miami-Dade College Homestead Campus while nickel-sized hail was seen at the Westwood Lakes neighborhood, south of Florida International University.

On Tuesday night, as Miami Heat fans exited the arena after the Celtics game, they found flooded streets around downtown Miami after heavy rain dropped in the area.

“Be cautious and do not drive or walk through flooded areas,” said Miami-Dade County Emergency Management on Twitter. “Check for forecast updates and be prepared to take action should flooding develop.”