Weather tracker: Record rainfall lashes Fort Lauderdale

Slow-moving supercell thunderstorms trigger flooding in Florida and a cyclone hits Australia

Fort Lauderdale experienced a historic rainfall event this week. As low pressure developed across the northern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday morning, a warm front lifted slowly north across southern Florida, bringing moderate rainfall through the early afternoon.

Multiple slow-moving supercell thunderstorms developed, each following similar tracks across the area. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport provisionally measured 25.91in (65.8cm) of rainfall during the 24 hours to 7am on Thursday, mostly falling within 12 hours. The previous daily rainfall total at the travel hub was 14.59in in 1979.