September 17, 2026
Heavy rain floods Broward streets; NWS flood advisory covers Fort Lauderdale area
Thursday morning downpours flooded roadways across Broward County, stalled cars in Fort Lauderdale and Oakland Park, and prompted an NWS Miami flood advisory through noon — with more wet weather likely into the weekend.
Heavy showers and storms over South Florida on Thursday morning, Sept. 17, turned parts of Broward County into street-flood zones. Local outlets and county emergency managers reported roadway flooding in Fort Lauderdale and nearby cities, stalled vehicles, and crews pumping water and clearing storm drains. The National Weather Service Miami office had a flood advisory in effect for Broward through noon EDT for minor flooding in low-lying and poor-drainage areas, and urged drivers to avoid flooded roads — turn around, don’t drown.
Rainfall totals reported by WSVN included about five inches in Oakland Park, more than three inches in Coral Springs, and more than two inches in Coconut Creek, Dania Beach, and Fort Lauderdale. Cameras showed deep water and stalled cars near Andrews Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard and near Northeast 13th Street and Seventh Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, plus flooding near Northeast High School in Oakland Park. Broward County said grounds were already saturated, all available vacuum trucks were deployed, and pumps were ready for low-lying spots; Fort Lauderdale asked residents to report flooded roadways at 954-828-8000.
Meteorologists tied the event to deep tropical moisture under a stalled front north of the region, with an upper low expected to keep shower and storm chances high Friday through early next week. Separately, the National Hurricane Center’s 2:00 p.m. EDT Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook for Sept. 17 monitors only Central Subtropical Atlantic low AL98 a few hundred miles east of Bermuda — formation chance low at 20 percent through 48 hours and 30 percent through seven days — with no Florida tropical watch or warning from that feature.
If stormwater enters a home or business, prompt extraction and drying matter in Florida humidity. Florida Restoration Specialists serves Central Florida water damage calls — water damage restoration and water extraction — or call (863) 588-6617.
Sources: NWS Miami / NHC Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook (2:00 p.m. EDT Sept. 17), WSVN: Broward street flooding and flood advisory, NBC 6: Broward flood advisory and travel impacts, Local 10: Fort Lauderdale heavy rain and flooding.
