MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — Widespread flash flooding is underway along Florida’s Space Coast after a narrow band of extreme rainfall dropped 5 to 15 inches of rain between Melbourne and just north of Fort Pierce. The worst flooding is just south of Melbourne proper, including the Palm Bay area. The Weather Prediction Center has placed this stretch of the coast under a Moderate Risk (Level 3 of 4) for excessive rainfall, citing significant rainfall and high-end impacts. The outlook is valid from 9 a.m. EST Monday, November 2, through 7 a.m. EST Tuesday, November 3. Officials are urging residents to listen to local officials and never drive through flooded roadways.
5 to 15 Inches in a Narrow Corridor
The heaviest rain fell in a narrow corridor along the Atlantic coast of Brevard and Indian River counties, including:
- Melbourne and Palm Bay
- West Melbourne and Malabar
- Sebastian and Vero Beach
- Areas just north of Fort Pierce
Rain totals of 5 to 15 inches in a short time are extreme for any part of Florida. That is roughly what many coastal communities normally see over two or three months during the dry season.
Moderate Risk From Cape Canaveral to Fort Pierce
The Moderate Risk zone, meaning at least a 40 percent chance of flash flooding within 25 miles of any point, covers the coast from near Cape Canaveral south through Melbourne to Fort Pierce.
Because the ground is now completely saturated, even moderate additional rain could make flooding worse.
Slight Risk Reaches Orlando, Okeechobee and West Palm Beach…