Local

Heavy, steady rain causes flooding in Palm Bay, Melbourne

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Heavy rain in Brevard County turned roadways into rivers Thursday afternoon.

Rain showers and thunderstorms were persistent over Brevard County for several hours, especially in Palm Bay and Melbourne.

Kevin Harris lives on Wisteria Drive in Melbourne, where water rose to about 9 inches outside his home.%

INLINE

%

“When I got home, it was already the furthest it was going to go before it got into the house,” Harris said.

It was a close call in his neighborhood and many others across Brevard County.

SHARE: Send your weather pics and video news@wftv.com

Lots of tropical moisture and a stubborn frontal boundary over the southern half of Central Florida had developed a constant flow of precipitation over Palm Bay, Melbourne and Micco, stretching northward to Cocoa Beach, forecasters said.

In Palm Bay, police and city workers closed a stretch of Americana Boulevard near Conover Street.

Melbourne Airport established a new daily rainfall record of 2.81 inches as of 3:30 p.m. The previous record was 1.97 inches in 1966.

WFTV viewers shared pictures from Palm Bay and Melbourne, showing cars trudging through water as the rain just kept coming.

Over 3 to 4 inches of heavy rain fell on Thursday in Brevard county. Thanks to Kevin Haman his photos, and others who have sent in theirs.

Posted by Tom Terry, WFTV on Thursday, June 9, 2016

Others shared pictures and video of residents kayaking in the streets and children playing in the water.

John Landenberger and his 3-year-old daughter were seen playing outside.

“Got off work and she wanted to come play, so here we are,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents hoped the water wouldn’t end up in their living rooms.

“Mother Nature is only going to take so much down. If we get another good downpour, it’s going to take a while to recede back again,” Harris said.

%

INLINE

%

A lot of cars in both Palm Bay and Melbourne had to be towed out of the water.

A flash flood watch was in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday, meaning there was potential for 3 or more inches of rain, creating dangerous conditions.

A flood advisory was in effect until 5:45 p.m. for southern Brevard County, which included the following cities: Viera, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Micco, Cocoa Beach, Rockledge and Satellite Beach.

Rain began to taper off by 9 p.m.

There were no reports of major damage.