More than 15 inches of rain fell on parts of Palm Beach Gardens, Riviera Beach and The Acreage over roughly 12 hours on Monday, flooding roads and prompting city officials to urge residents to stay off the streets.
The city said some roadways were impassable because of standing water. Other areas could be reached only by emergency vehicles or heavy equipment. As of 10:40 a.m., water levels were falling in Steeplechase, though isolated spots still had 12 to 15 inches. Horseshoe Acres and PGA National also reported pockets of deep water, and Cypress Hollow was limited to Public Works heavy equipment.
City officials called the rainfall exceptionally rare. According to the city, NOAA Atlas 14 data puts a 13-inch storm at a 1-in-100-year event, and the reported total exceeds that mark. Police, Fire Rescue and Public Works crews have been monitoring conditions since Sunday afternoon. The city said its stormwater system performed as designed and helped reduce the risk of flooding to homes.
Several roads remained problematic. PGA Boulevard west of Mirasol was flooded in both directions, and the Florida Department of Transportation was notified. Montecito and Sandtree Drive had shallower water that motorists could pass with caution. Northlake Boulevard westbound lanes near the Shops of Ibis had a variable message sign.
The city closed PGA National Park, Gardens Park, Lake Catherine and Lake Catherine Lakeside, and closed the walking trail at Russo Park. Palm Beach County remained under a Flood Watch through Monday evening. Officials warned that conditions could worsen with more rain and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and never drive through standing water.
