Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport temporarily closed by flooding

As South Florida continues to deal with the aftermath of a massive storm, the flooding in Broward County has resulted in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport temporarily closing until Friday.

The airport closed early Wednesday evening and was originally expected to open on Thursday at noon, but debris and water on the runways caused officials to close the facility through 5 a.m. on Friday.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency as some areas of South Florida received more than a foot of rain Wednesday night into Thursday, forcing Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to close temporarily.

According to WPTV.com, the Fort Lauderdale airport experienced substantial flooding as part of the storm system and was expected to remain closed until at least noon on Thursday.

Airport officials revealed the upper-level departures roadway reopened around 3 a.m. on Thursday to allow travelers stuck to find a way home, but the lower-level arrivals road remained closed.

The Fort Lauderdale airport’s ground shuttle system was temporarily suspended and travelers were advised to avoid entering or leaving the airport due to flooding at the entrance and exit roadways.

Travelers were also asked to check their airlines for revised flight statuses.

While the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood continues to deal with flooding issues, officials from Miami International Airport revealed there were two short periods of flight delays due to lightning, but no associated flight cancellations.