More torrential rains fell on South Florida on Thursday, adding to the more than a foot (30 cm) of rain that fell in parts of the state this week, and forecasters issued flood warnings for the region, home to 8 million people.

The National Weather Service said some areas, including parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties, were at risk of “life-threatening flooding” as streets were flooded and water reached the doorsteps of homes.

Some locations had received 18 to 25 inches (46 to 63.5 cm) of rain since Monday, said Bob Oravec, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

The most rain fell Thursday in North Miami Beach, where 20.4 inches of rain had fallen since Monday, while Big Cypress National Preserve in the Everglades received about 25 inches, Oravec said.

Luis Garcia Infante, a resident of Hallandale Beach, which was inundated by 19.3 inches of rainfall, said he had never experienced flooding like this in his 13 years living in this south Broward County community.

“There has been rain, there has been heavy rain, but never, ever rain like this,” Infante said.

Oravec said the slow-moving storm — a disorganized tropical depression that is drawing its strength from warm Gulf Coast and Atlantic waters — is expected to remain over the state until Saturday morning before moving further out to sea.

While this system is unlikely to intensify into a tropical storm, it could still be a wet start to a busy hurricane season that begins on June 1.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for five South Florida counties late Wednesday, with up to five inches of rain expected before Friday night.

Media reports and social media posts showed stalled cars and people trying to navigate streets submerged in waist-deep water or navigating small boats and kayaks. In some areas, water has flooded lawns and reached the front doors of homes and other buildings.

Parts of Interstate 95, the main north-south route on the East Coast, were closed Wednesday because of flooding.

“The problem is there’s nowhere for the rainwater to go,” Oravec said. “The ground is so saturated. In some places, the water is backing up into the sewers.”

In nearby Fort Lauderdale, Mayor Dean Trantalis declared a citywide state of emergency because of the flooding. He said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission was sending boats and high-water vehicles to help with rescues if needed.

Trantalis urged people to stay off the roads. “It’s very important to never try to drive over water,” he warned in a message on the X social media platform.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levin Cava also declared a state of emergency, allowing funding and resources to better respond to the storm and its aftermath.

Storm Forecast

Forecasters expect eight to 13 named storms in the Atlantic this season, seven of which could become major hurricanes. Overall, about 17 to 25 named tropical storms are expected.

An average hurricane season produces about 14 named storms, seven of which become hurricanes.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the frequency and intensity of storms, which is linked to rising ocean temperatures caused by high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.