1 dead after powerful storms hit Pensacola, Florida, with 16 inches of rain, high winds
Flash flooding became a hazard after 16 inches of rain fell on the city in just six hours. The downpour made some roads impassable and stranded some people in their stalled vehicles.
Record-breaking rain swamps Pensacola, Florida
A line of powerful thunderstorms swept through the Florida panhandle late Thursday night and early Friday morning, leading to a number of evacuations and water rescues. June 16, 2023.
PENSACOLA, Fla. – A line of powerful thunderstorms swept through the Florida Panhandle on Thursday night, leaving at least one person dead and neighborhoods covered in floodwater.
Powerful wind gusts tore through the Pensacola area, with the National Weather Service reporting a 48-mph wind gust at the Pensacola Naval Air Station.
In nearby Jackson Heights, winds knocked a tree down onto a home. According to the Escambia County Fire Department, one person died after being trapped under the tree.
Flash flooding also became a hazard after 16 inches of rain fell on the city in just six hours. The downpour made some roads impassable and stranded some residents in their stalled vehicles, the NWS reported.
"We have a lot of cars stuck in two, three, four, sometimes six foot of water," said Chip Simmons, Escambia County sheriff. "It was just too much for our storm system to handle."
![Flooding reaches the roof of a car in downtown Pensacola, Florida. June 16, 2023.]()
Image 1 of 3Flooding reaches the roof of a car in downtown Pensacola, Florida. June 16, 2023. (@BryleeC21 / Twitter)
![Flooding reaches the roof of a car in downtown Pensacola, Florida. June 16, 2023.]()
Image 2 of 3Flooding reaches the roof of a car in downtown Pensacola, Florida. June 16, 2023. (@BryleeC21 / Twitter)
![Pensacola Flooding]()
Image 3 of 3Heavy rains trigger a Flash Flood Emergency in Pensacola, Florida on June 16, 2023 (Nkrumah Morgan / Panhandle Transportation Group)
Flash Flood Emergencies were issued, covering more than 100,000 residents from Pensacola through Warrington and Myrtle Grove.
Flooding led to a number of evacuations. In fact, at least 146 residents were evacuated late Thursday at the Forest Creek Apartment complex in Pensacola and taken to a shelter.
FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY PROMPTS WATER RESCUES IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA
Flooding is still an issue for many people in Pensacola, as standing water remains on some roads and parking lots on Friday.
The storms came from the same system that produced a deadly tornado in Texas earlier on Thursday. More storms are forecast to move through the already-saturated Pensacola area on Friday night.
"We'll continue to monitor this and hunker down for this second line of storms," said Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves.
According to the National Weather Service, there is concern about another round of storms that is forecast to his the area Friday night.