Rivers and Creeks Across Florida Forecast to See Significant Flooding

Just because the rain has moved away from the Florida peninsula, it does not mean that the state is in the clear. Forecasters are warning that the Sunshine State will be under the threat of major river flooding as a result of the wrath of Hurricane Milton. Here is what you need to know about this developing weather situation.

Historic Amounts of Moisture to Trigger River Flooding

Hurricane Milton dropped widespread rainfall amounts of 5 to 20 inches across Florida in a period of just hours. This magnitude of water will inevitably raise the risk of major river flooding across the region. The central and northern waterways in the state will see the greatest risk of flooding in the days and ahead and into the middle of next week. Some of these rivers and lakes may remain over flood stage for days.

The rainfall that fell across the central and northern portions of Florida was equal to 5 to 10 times the historical average for the month of October. This mass surge of moisture was too much for the grounds to contain.

Residents that may have been lucky enough to escape the initial deluge of surge, heavy rain, and high winds may see problems as the waterways continue to rise. This means that not everyone is in the clear from Milton's impacts.

The bulk of the rivers flowing through Florida contain headwaters measuring just a few dozen feet above sea level. These measurements mean that the volume flows slowly with the characteristics of much larger rivers despite their lower overall water capacities. As such, it can take many days for the water to surge and recede, making this a slowly developing event.