Just a few days into November and already extraordinary rainfall overwhelmed parts of Florida's east coast. And the numbers were staggering: 16 to 22 inches of rain falling across portions of southern Brevard County in a single day. Parts of Palm Bay, Malabar and Grant-Valkaria experienced rainfall exceeding the threshold for a 1-in-1,000-year event.
‼️ Flash Flood Emergency Continues
— Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) November 2, 2026
In all my year’s as a Meteorologist, I’ve NEVER seen anything like this. Multiple cities have seen 12-24” of rain, without a Tropical Storm, and it just won’t stop. ~2 feet in Palm Bay & Melbourne.
As I write this torrential bands are setting… pic.twitter.com/5eiKROmQQ7
Farther south, an estimated 17 inches fell in just six hours around Palm Beach Gardens—also surpassing the 1-in-1,000-year rainfall threshold.
Flooding extended into the Treasure Coast, where Port St. Lucie experienced stranded vehicles and road closures, while several communities declared local states of emergency. Florida Storms meteorologist Leslie Hudson examines the historic November flooding, the science behind the extraordinary rainfall and what a strengthening El Niño could mean for the months ahead.
NOAA says the current El Niño could become one of the strongest on record. Historically, strong El Niño winters have brought above-average rainfall and increased storminess to Florida. That doesn't guarantee a repeat of this week's flooding, but it does raise the potential for an unusually active winter weather pattern across the peninsula.
RECORD RAIN INUNDATES FLORIDA: Nearly 17 inches of rain in just 6 hours—that's what Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, recorded on Sunday. That's a 1 in 1000-year rain event that overwhelmed roads and triggered flash flooding. #Florida #rain #flood #foxweather pic.twitter.com/MkY1SpCMOp
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) November 2, 2026
