Dec 31, 2002
El Nino continued to keep the storm systems rolling through Florida in December. The New Year's Eve storm was almost a carbon copy of the storm system that occurred seven days earlier. A cold front moving through the Gulf of Mexico produced a long line of storms and brought heavy rainfall to the area. Numerous roads were closed and several homes were flooded in Lakeland due to the heavy rain. The combination of high tide and heavy rain put two feet of water over the roads near Bradenton Beach
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 5325742). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.
This event is one of many recorded floods in Polk County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.