Record flooding and slowly receding rivers are spreading across Florida for Milton

TAMPA, Fla. – Hurricane Milton is long gone, but the lingering effects of its torrential rains, which reached up to a foot long in many areas, will extend well into next week.

Several rivers in the Tampa area and north-central Florida that bore the brunt of Milton's migration through the heart of the state remain well above flood stage, with several rivers at flood stage days after Milton made landfall on Wednesday. Some have even set all-time records and surpassed other infamous hurricanes.

According to the sheriff's office, the flooding has resulted in more than 1,000 water rescues across the region, including more than 700 in Hillsborough County in the Tampa area. Rescue operations ranged from rescuing a 91-year-old woman from a flooded home on the Alafia River to the mass rescue of more than 500 residents trapped in foot-deep water at their flooded Clearwater apartment complex.

Tampa recorded a record 11.54 inches of rain, while St. Petersburg recorded its own record of 18.54 inches of rain in one day.

The Hillsborough River crested nearly 2 feet above record near Zephyrhills on Friday and has begun to recede, according to the National Weather Service. But at Morris Bridge, the river crested more than 3 feet above record flood levels Saturday morning.

The number is expected to slowly decline throughout the week, but will remain above flood stage for major flooding through Monday and above flood stage for moderate flooding through Wednesday.

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The Alafia River at Lithia, just outside Tampa, remains in a severe flooding phase but has also begun to recede.

Florida officials risked their lives to save a 91-year-old woman trapped in her home amid devastating flooding after Hurricane Helene.

(Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office / FOX Weather)

In Pasco County, northwest of Tampa, Cypress Creek in the Lutz area had risen to 14.4 feet as of Saturday morning – breaking the previous record by about half a foot but still rising. The NWS expects the river to peak at 15 feet on Monday and remain above flood stage through at least Wednesday.

The Anclote River in Elfers peaked at 26.57 feet – about a foot shy of the record. This river will remain over its banks until Monday.

Further east between Orlando and Daytona Beach, where between 8 and 15 inches of rain fell, forecasters and first responders are closely monitoring the St. Johns River, where “extensive, prolonged river flooding” is expected to continue for several days.

The river is expected to reach major flood stage from Astor to Sanford. The water level in Astor has already reached a new preliminary record, exceeding the levels reached after Hurricane Ian. Severe flooding also continues on the Little Wekiva River near Altamonte Springs, the NWS in Melbourne said.

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Due to Florida's flat terrain, it will take a long time for river flooding to recede.

“The St. Johns River is most notorious for slow draining, and that's because it has little elevation change from its headwaters to where it empties into the Atlantic,” said Greg Diamond, senior meteorologist at FOX Weather. “Over a distance of 310 miles it only drops 27 feet. If you do the math, that's only about 1 inch per mile. Furthermore, it is tidal. So twice a day the tide reverses the flow of water up the river by more than half. This slows drainage even more.

Therefore, forecasters are warning residents to expect problems for some time.

“Be prepared for long-term flooding impacts that may last several weeks,” NWS Melbourne forecasters warned.