Miami sets new rainfall record as flash floods batter southern Florida
Flash floods struck southern Florida on Monday, May 12, 2025, as a strong Gulf storm brought record-breaking rainfall, including 110.5 mm (4.35 inches) in Miami, surpassing a record set in 1943.
Satellite image with rainfall acquired at 12:40 UTC on May 12, 2025. Credit: NOAA/GOES-East, Zoom Earth, The Watchers
A strong Gulf storm delivered heavy rainfall across southern Florida through Monday, May 12, causing flash flooding in several low-lying urban areas.
Miami set a new daily rainfall record for May 12, recording 110.5 mm (4.35 inches) of rain through Monday, surpassing the previous record of 69 mm (2.72 inches) set in 1943.
The 12-hour rainfall total from 00:00 to 12:00 local time (LT) on Monday reached 106.4 mm (4.19 inches) at Miami International Airport. Hollywood/North Perry Airport received 92 mm (3.62 inches), while Homestead recorded 50.8 mm (2 inches) and Fort Lauderdale 44.2 mm (1.74 inches).
Floodwaters quickly overwhelmed streets in low-lying areas of Miami, including Northeast 10th and 14th Avenues. Downtown Miami also experienced flooding, disrupting morning traffic.
“We are for now not re-routing traffic. We are bringing down parts of Biscayne into maybe a single lane, so definitely we are allowing the traffic to flow,” said Kenia Fallat, City of Miami Director of Communications, on Monday.
The slow-moving storm system drenched Charleston, South Carolina, with record-breaking rain on Sunday, May 11. A high-end EF-1 tornado also passed through Langley in Aiken County on Monday.
Data from the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Columbia indicate this was the fifth-strongest tornado recorded in their forecast area so far this year and the first since March 16. The tornado produced peak winds of 169 km/h (105 mph), consistent with the upper threshold of the EF-1 classification and equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The twister downed multiple power lines and trees, damaged outbuildings, and tore roofs from several homes. One person was reportedly trapped in his home following the storm.
On Tuesday, May 13, the storm system is forecast to move through the Mid-South and into the Great Lakes region on Wednesday, May 14.
According to the Weather Prediction Center (WPC), the heaviest rainfall is forecast to remain concentrated over the Mid-Atlantic on Tuesday, bringing relief to parts of the region experiencing moderate to severe drought-like conditions. However, the threat of flash floods will persist in parts of the region due to continued heavy rainfall.
WPC maintains a Slight Risk (threat level 2/4) for excessive rainfall from eastern North Carolina to central Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, flood watches remain in place for much of Virginia and North Carolina.
A deep fetch of Atlantic moisture will extend as far west as the Great Lakes and the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, where widespread showers and storms are forecast on Tuesday. Isolated thunderstorms will continue to affect these regions through Wednesday.
Showers will move northeast through Tuesday night and into Wednesday. WPC maintains a Marginal Risk (threat level 1/4) in the Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday due to the threat of heavy rain and thunderstorms potentially leading to isolated flash floods.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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