Plantation flood watch to 3 p.m. Monday; 1-3 more inches

A flood watch covers Plantation and the rest of Broward County until 3 p.m. Monday. More rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected overnight and into Monday.

The National Weather Service in Miami issued the watch at 12:49 p.m. Sunday. It covers inland, metro and coastal Broward County, along with Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.

A watch means flooding is possible. A warning would mean it is happening or about to happen.

How much rain

Some places in the east coast metro areas had already picked up 1 to 3 inches by Sunday afternoon, the weather service said in its forecast discussion. It said another 1 to 3 inches is possible tonight into Monday. Where the strongest storms set up, 3 to 5 inches could fall.

The watch itself warns that isolated spots may see 5 to 7 inches. Those amounts “may fall over a window of a few hours,” it said.

The forecast for Plantation calls for:

• Sunday night: showers and thunderstorms, 80% chance, with 1 to 2 inches of new rain possible. Low around 73 degrees.
• Monday: showers and thunderstorms before 3 p.m., 80% chance, with three-quarters of an inch to 1 inch possible. High near 81.
• Monday night: storms likely between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., 60% chance.

East winds of about 13 mph are forecast, with gusts up to 24 mph.

What could flood

The weather service said the main risk is street flooding and road closures. It expects limited impact to buildings in flood-prone areas. Forecasters said uncertainty is high about exactly where the heaviest rain will fall.

Election Day

The wet pattern does not end Monday. The Plantation forecast for Tuesday, Nov. 3, gives a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a high near 84.

The weather service expects a drier, southerly wind by midweek. “It’ll still be humid, just not as wet,” forecasters wrote.

Broward County polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. You can vote only at your assigned polling place; our voting guide lists Plantation’s polling places.

The Broward County Public Schools calendar lists Tuesday as an employee planning day, with no school for students.

What it means for you

• Do not drive through standing water. It hides how deep the water is and what is under it. The weather service’s flood safety page explains why.
• Give yourself time Monday morning. Downpours can fill low streets and swales fast.
• Keep storm drains clear. Do not rake leaves or put yard waste over drains or in the street.
• Watch for a warning. If the weather service issues a flash flood warning for Broward County, move to higher ground and stay off flooded roads.
• Plan your vote. If you vote Tuesday, check your polling place and the radar before you leave.

Who to call

• Emergencies: 911
• Plantation police non-emergency: 954-797-2100
• Plantation Public Works: 954-452-2535, during business hours
• Broward County information line: 311 or 954-831-4000

More numbers are on our who to call at City Hall page. Road closures are on our Plantation road work page, and our power outages guide covers what to do if the lights go out.

We will update this story when the watch ends or if the weather service changes it.