Record flooding, slow-to-recede rivers plague Florida after Milton blasted state with torrential rain
Several rivers around the Tampa area and north-central Florida that took the brunt of Milton’s trek across the heart of the state remain well over flood stage days after Milton made landfall Wednesday, with multiple rivers in major flood stage.
Hillsborough County, FL deputies rescue 91-year-old woman in Milton floodwaters
Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office rescued a 91-year-old woman stranded in her home as floodwaters rose in Lithia, near the Alafia River.
TAMPA, Fla. — Hurricane Milton is long gone, but the lingering effects from its torrential rains that measured over a foot in many areas are extending its impacts well into next week.
Several rivers around the Tampa area and north-central Florida that took the brunt of Milton’s trek across the heart of the state remain well over flood stage days after Milton made landfall Wednesday, with multiple rivers in major flood stage. A few have even hit all-time records, surpassing other infamous hurricanes.
Record river flooding to extend Hurricane Milton's woes through parts of Florida
Several rivers have gone on major, or even record flood stage as 12-18 inches of rain from Hurricane Milton struggles to drain out to sea.
The flooding has led to more than 1,000 water rescues across the region, with more than 700 occurring in Hillsborough County in the Tampa area, according to the sheriff's office. The rescues ranged from a 91-year-old woman from a flooded home along the Alafia River to a massive rescue of more than 500 residents trapped in feet-deep waters of their flooded apartment complex in Clearwater.
More than 500 rescued from Clearwater apartment complex following Milton's floods in Florida
Police in Clearwater, Florida, said that calls from residents of The Standard apartment complex started coming in Thursday, but that first responders were unable to get to the location due to the high winds from Hurricane Milton.
Tampa recorded a record 11.54 inches of rain, while St. Petersburg recorded its own record of 18.54 inches of rain in one day.
The Hillsborough River crested at nearly 2 feet over record height Friday at Zephyrhills and has begun receding, according to National Weather Service river gauges. But at the Morris Bridge, the river is peaking on Saturday morning more than 3 feet above record flood stage.
It’s expected to slowly recede through the week but remain above major flood stage through Monday and moderate flood stage through Wednesday.
The Alafia River at Lithia just outside Tampa remains in major flood stage but has also begun to recede.
Florida deputies risked their lives to rescue a 91-year-old woman trapped in her home amid devastating floods following Hurricane Helene. (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office / FOX Weather)
In Pasco County northwest of Tampa, the Cypress Creek in the Lutz area had risen to 14.4 feet on Saturday morning – breaking the previous record by about a half foot, but was still rising. The NWS expects the river to crest at 15 feet Monday and remain above major flood stage through at least Wednesday.
Florida River Flooding
The Anclote River in Elfers reached a peak of 26.57 feet — about a foot short of record. That river will remain above its banks until Monday.
Farther east between Orlando and Daytona Beach, where between 8 and 15 inches of rain fell, forecasters and first responders are closely monitoring the St. Johns River, where "extensive, long-lasting river flooding" is forecast to persist for several days.
The river is expected to reach major flood stage from Astor through Sanford. The gauge at Astor has already set a new preliminary record stage, exceeding levels reached after Hurricane Ian. Major flooding also continues on the Little Wekiva River near Altamonte Springs, the NWS in Melbourne said.
With Florida’s flat terrain, river flooding will take a long time to recede.
"The St. Johns River is the most notorious for being slow to drain and that's because it barely changes elevation from its headwaters to where it empties to the Atlantic," says FOX Weather Senior Meteorologist Greg Diamond. "Over the course of 310 miles it only drops 27 feet. If you do the math, that's only around 1 inch per mile. Not only that, it's tidal. So twice a day, the incoming tide reverses the flow of water more than halfway up the river. This slows down the draining even more."
Forecasters are thus warning residents to anticipate issues for some time.
"Prepare for long term flood impacts that may last several weeks," NWS Melbourne meteorologists warned.