Intense rain, strong winds pummel SWFL

FORT MYERS, Fla. Rain poured relentlessly throughout Southwest Florida Wednesday, with Collier County taking the brunt of the storms.

A flood warning was extended earlier for Marco Island, Belle Meade, Cape Romano and Royal Palm Hammock until 10:15 p.m., the National Weather Service said.

The warning had originally been set to expire at 7:15 p.m. A flood watch is also in effect for Collier and Hendry counties until 2 a.m. Thursday.

All roadways on the island flooded Wednesday afternoon, the Marco Island Police Department said. They were all open as of 6:43 p.m. after some temporary closures, though water remained.

All #marcoisland roadways are flooding. Do not drive through high water or around barricades. Avoid driving if possible.

— Marco Island Police Department (@MarcoIslandPD) June 7, 2017

All roadways are open however many still have water on them. Drive with caution – do not drive through high water. #marcoisland

— Marco Island Police Department (@MarcoIslandPD) June 7, 2017

At 4:09 p.m., Doppler radar indicated rainfall estimates of 2 to 3 inches had fallen in the warning area, with an additional 1 to 3 inches of rainfall possible, the weather service said.

Viewer Tim Conway sent video showing water on Marco Island roadways:

Fort Myers saw 2.95 inches of rain at Page Field airport, setting a new record for June 7. The previous mark of 2.24 was set in 1974.

Many other spots saw even more rain Wednesday, as WINK Meteorologist Scott Zedeker noted on Facebook.

An estimated 15.2 inches of rain has fallen over the last three days along State Road 29 in Collier County, according to Doppler radar estimates. Other areas in Collier County saw more than a dozen inches, while Lee County got 4 to 6 inches, the estimates show.

A flood advisory for much of Lee County expired at 3:30 p.m., and a flood advisory for part of Collier County ended at 6:15 p.m. A flood warning is issued when a flood is imminent or occurring. A flood advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance.

A marine warning for hazardous boating conditions was also in effect for gulf waters off Collier County, the weather service said.

Severe thunderstorm warnings expired in Collier, Lee, Hendry, DeSoto, Charlotte and Sarasota counties after they were issued earlier Wednesday afternoon.

WINK News meteorologist Zach Maloch streamed live radar on Facebook as the storms rumbled through:

Homes were damaged, trees were downed and debris was strewn on roads as severe thunderstorms passed.

“It was just rising and rising and rising and rising,” Marco Island resident Bryan Hauser said of floodwaters near his home on Shadowridge Court.

Water was a particular problem around the nearby Island Country Club golf course on Nassau Road, where retention ponds were filled in during renovations, City Council member Charlette Roman said.

Roman wants Interim City Manager Guillermo Polanco “to look at some of the drainage outlets to see where they’re actually going and maybe redirect some of the water,” she said.

The city hired contractors to pump water out early Wednesday morning.

High water was also a problem in Fort Myers, where viewer Cassie Rodriguez took video of cars navigating around the Colonial Crossings plaza near Summerlin Road.