MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — The tropical system that barreled through Southwest Florida has come and gone. It hit Collier County the hardest in terms of rainfall.
As of Saturday morning, models show Marco Island received more than eight inches of rain since Friday while Naples surpassed five inches.
At times, buckets of rain came down — literally in some areas.
"This is our second bucket that we have filled with rain that we've collected," said Michelle Minzey, who lives in East Naples.
Minzey started filling up a five-gallon bucket on Friday morning and had already dumped it twice since.
Behind her house — let's just say Minzey is going to need a few more buckets.
"We have a lake as it is, but now our lake is even bigger," Minzey said.
Fish in the lake were coming up to the shoreline while garden beds nearby were underwater.
"We were shocked. They said it was going to be a rainmaker, but we didn't think it was going to be this bad of a rainmaker," Minzey explained.
Through torrential downpours, Marco Island crews put out signs warning drivers of flooded roads. Drains were also taking in a lot of water, clearing ditches and streets.
While this may not be the only system we see this year, Minzey is more than ready for whatever lies ahead.
"Wait for the storm to pass," she said. "We play games and just enjoy."
