FORT Laurendale, Fla. (AP) — A tropical storm has caused a rare flash flooding emergency to a large portion in southern Florida as people prepared to endure more severe rain over the next two days.

The torrential downpours on Wednesday and subsequent flooding caused a blockage of roadways, flooded vehicles, and hindered delays for the Florida Panthers on their way to Stanley Cup games in Canada against the Edmonton Oilers.

The storm system that was not organized was moving through Florida via to the Gulf of Mexico at roughly the same time as beginning of the hurricane season. This year is predicted to be one of the most active of recent times due to the possibility of climate change intensifying storms.

The disturbance isn’t at status as a cyclone, and it was given only a small chance of developing into an erupting tropical system when it is able to enter the Atlantic Ocean after crossing Florida according to the National Hurricane Center.

The National Weather Service in Miami posted on social media platform X early Thursday morning that a heavy rainfall band was predicted to hit the region for the third day in the row.

“Even a small duration of heavy rainfall could lead to more flash flooding!,” the blog post stated.

Many roads remain inaccessible to vehicles. On the main artery Interstate 95 located in Broward County, southbound traffic was diverted around an area of water and contractors were en route to drain the system in the area, officials from the Florida Highway Patrol said in an email. The road won’t reopen until the water has been drained according to the agency.

The Miami weather service office issued increasingly severe warnings.

“Life-threatening flooding is now ongoing,” the service announced on the social network X. “Please stay off the roadways and get to higher ground.”

Mayors of Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood declared an emergency state for their respective cities at the end of their Wednesday afternoon. Later Wednesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also declared a state of emergency in five counties -five counties – Broward as well as Miami-Dade along Florida’s Atlantic coast, and Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties along the state’s west coast.

Mayor of Miami-Dade County Daniella Levine Cava also issued an emergency state of the county.

In close proximity to Hollywood, Mike Viesel was heading home on Wednesday afternoon along together with their dog Humi when he became entangled in a deep puddle of water along a narrow street as he reported to The Miami Herald.

When he slowed down before stopping, Viesel said other cars passed by, dumping additional water into the vehicle. His engine stalled.

“I’d walk out of my car,” said the man to the Herald however, his pet “has a problem with water.”

The Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood The lobby of the building Alfredo Rodriguez moved into a year ago had already seen water puddles the early hours of Wednesday. Rodriguez said to the Herald that the building has been seen five times of flooding since the time he moved into it.

“This is a disaster. I’m not able to move my vehicle around,”” his comment was about the streets inundated.

Several flights were cancelled or delayed at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. Its NHL’s Florida Panthers were delayed more than three hours before leaving Fort Lauderdale for their nearly six-hour journey to Edmonton to play Games three and four in the Stanley Cup Final.

Further to the north, the National Weather Service in Melbourne confirmed that an EF-1 storm struck Hobe Sound on Florida’s Atlantic Coast north of West Palm Beach on Wednesday morning.

The storms ripped down several banyan trees, and also caused damage to a shop, Martin County Fire Rescue officials stated. There were no injuries reported, however access to the affluent Jupiter Island was cut off due to debris that was thrown onto the road.

It’s been a rainy and windy week in Florida. In Miami approximately six inches (15 centimeters) of rain fell on Tuesday in Miami Beach and seven inches (17 centimeters) in Miami Beach as per the National Weather Service. Hollywood was hit with around five millimeters (12 centimeters).

Brian McNoldy, a senior researcher with Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School reported on X that around nine inches (23 centimeters) fell on areas in South Florida from 7 a.m until the time of 6 p.m. this Wednesday, in along with rain falling on Tuesday.

“We are in trouble,” McNoldy wrote.

The forecast was for more rain the remainder of this week causing offices of the weather department located in Miami to issue a temporary flash flood warning until Thursday. Certain areas could get an additional six inches (15 millimeters) or more of rainfall.

The western portion in the state a lot of which has experienced a long-lasting drought, had a significant amount of rain. Aproximately 6.5 inches (16.5 centimeters) of rain fell on Tuesday in Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, according to the weather service flash warnings for flooding were in place for those areas too.

Forecasts for the coming season predict a particularly full hurricane season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that there is a chance of 85% for it will be a good year for hurricanes. Atlantic storm season is more than average. It is anticipating between 17 and named storms over the next months. This includes up to thirteen hurricanes as well as four hurricanes. A typical season is comprised of fourteen named storms.