One major threat of any tropical cyclone is flooding and we learned that firsthand with Tropical Storm Elsa a little over a month ago.
Widespread flooding occurred across Southwest Florida as Tropical Storm Elsa dumped almost a foot of rain to parts of our area. With rainy season well under way, some streets in Lee and Charlotte counties were impassible. Now keep in mind that rainfall amounts are not necessarily dependent on strength of the storm, but size and speed of the storm.
Rainfall totals from Elsa were impressive considering Elsa passed several miles to our west. Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte picked up over ten inches of rain with Elsa while Fort Myers and Cape Coral received six to seven inches of rain. Towns further to the south got less rainfall with Bonita Springs receiving just over five inches of rain and Naples just over three.
As afternoon storms continue across our area, places in Lee county such as Cape Coral and Fort Myers have picked up five to seven inches of rain over the past week with Charlotte and Collier county receiving three to five inches. Latest rainfall at Page Field in Fort Myers has brought our monthly rainfall total to nearly an inch above average with more to come this weekend thanks to Tropical Depression Fred.
Fred is expected to become a Tropical Storm as it heads toward the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Rainfall amounts of three to six inches may fall along our coast creating flooding concerns once again. Remember it only takes six inches of water to immobilize your car and don't forget the saying, "Turn around don't drown."
