Discover Sarasota Broke Rainfall Records

Sarasota just witnessed an extraordinary rainfall event yesterday, one for the record books. At Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, a staggering 3.93 inches of rain poured down in just one hour yesterday afternoon—the highest recorded since 1972. Over on Siesta Key, the deluge was even more severe, with a National Weather Service station registering nearly a foot of rain, and several other locations seeing over five inches.

AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist Bernie Rayno described it aptly, comparing it to a garden hose set on full stream, concentrating the downpour in one area. This isn’t your typical Florida summer storm. Such extreme rainfall events are exceedingly rare, happening once in a thousand years, and yet, Sarasota has now seen two such events in just the last two years. In 2022, Hurricane Ian caused significant flooding in the southern part of the county, making this the second ‘1,000-year flood’ in as many years.

Bob Bunting, a seasoned meteorologist and CEO of Sarasota’s Climate Adaptation Center, pointed out the extraordinary nature of these weather events, sandwiched between a historic drought, as clear signs of our changing climate.

And the week may still hold more waterlogged days ahead; an additional 6 to 10 inches of rain are expected as the tropical storm continues its path across the state. This raises the potential for a third ‘1,000-year event’ and significant flooding concerns. The National Weather Service warns of possible flash and river flooding. For those venturing out, it’s critical to avoid beaches where rip currents and rough surf pose dangers and steer clear of flooded roads. Just six inches of water can cause most cars to lose control and possibly stall, while a foot of water can float many vehicles.