Storms Don’t Need a Name to Wreak Havoc in South Florida

The rhythms of South Florida’s rainy season used to be somewhat predictable, with hot, humid days leading to midafternoon thunderstorms and then clear skies. Sometimes a downpour would ruin the evening commute; sometimes it would start and end in the few minutes it took to leave your desk and walk to the car.

Those days feel increasingly rare.

Heavy rain from a line of storms has deluged the southern tip of the Florida peninsula for several days this week, causing widespread flooding that killed at least two people, overwhelmed roads, crippled vehicles and disrupted life in one of the nation’s busier metropolitan regions. The pounding rain came weeks after the region experienced a stretch of rainless days that were extremely hot, with the heat index last month reaching a record high of 112 degrees.

Florida’s sticky, bug-ridden storm season has always been more about endurance than enjoyment, even for those who savor the relative quiet. But staggering from oppressive heat to oppressive rain has robbed residents and businesses of a sense of routine that at least made this time of year a little more manageable.

With that loss has come a growing sense of trepidation: If the weather is acting this crazy now, what will summer bring?