November 2023 Central Florida floods

Meteorological synopsis On November 15, 2023, as an upper trough approached the state, a mesoscale low pressure formed south of Miami. This low-pressure system drifted towards the Bahamas before being picked up by the upper trough and stalling over east-central Florida. In the late afternoon of November 16, a line of storms began to develop from the low and moved around . Flooding timeline A flood watch was issued at 11:00 (EST) for Indian River and Brevard counties. At around 17:00 (EST), a strong storm developed about 7 miles NW of Fellsmere, moving south at . The storm stalled near the intersection of I-95 and C.R. 512 in Vero Lake Estates around 19:00 (EST). Early on November 17, the flood warning was extended for the area due to ongoing flooding. The St. Johns River at Astor in Lake County overflowed and flooded the community due to heavy rainfall, which continued through November 20. == Impact ==

Total damage estimates for the floods exceed $59 million. Eight residents were left displaced by the floodwaters and The American Red Cross assisted in the relief efforts. Vero Lake Estates Vero Lake Estates, (known as VLE locally), was also significantly impacted by the floods. Parts of VLE received up to of rainfall on November 16. The lack of paved roads in the neighborhood likely played a role in the severe flooding. Two main roads in VLE, 101st Avenue and 87th Street, were closed on November 17 as a result of the floodwaters. Seminole County Sanford Sanford broke its previous 24-hour rainfall total for November, reaching 7.09 inches of rain. Minor flooding occurred near Lake Jesup. The river crested at 3.04 feet in moderate flood stage, a historic crest for the area. Volusia County 7.53 inches of rain fell in DeLand; however, no flooding was reported in the city. Several other significant rainfall totals occurred in Volusia County, with 7.24 inches of rain in De Leon Springs, and 7.14 inches of rain in Port Orange. == Aftermath ==

Fellsmere has a long and destructive history of flooding. There have been minor floods in September 2022, November 2022, and July 2023, with major floods in September 2017 and November 2023. Many residents have criticized the city of Fellsmere's drainage system for its role in exacerbating flooding. In 2024, the city of Fellsmere invested $1.3 million to improve canals, preventing further flooding. Fellsmere is a rural and agricultural community. Many farms lost crops in the flood, as the flood occurred during harvesting season. == See also ==