Record Rainfall in Miami

5.54 inches have fallen in Miami Tuesday, NWS said

A record 5.54 inches of rain fell in Miami Tuesday, easily eclipsing the previous high total for May 22, the National Weather Service said.

The old record of 3.44 inches was set back in 1901.

Torrential rains fell over Doral, where floating cars were reported on NW 82nd Avenue and NW 36th Street. Some streets in the area were also impassable, the National Weather Service said.

Miami Dade College cancelled classes on its West Campus Tuesday evening because of flooding. The school said the campus will be open, though no classes are taking place.

The rain stopped from Sweetwater to Miami International Airport, but only after 4.4 inches of rain fell in the hour between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. at MIA this afternoon., the weather service said.

Sweetwater Mayor Manny Maroño said Tuesday's flooding was the worst he has seen since 2000. Traffic was brought to a near-standstill in some sports as cars and trucks were slowed by the high water.

Maroño said the city's pump system is not up and running yet.

"Mother Nature is what it is. We tried to time the pump station being installed in a timely manner prior to the rainy season. Obviously, Mother Nature beat us to the punch," he said. "The pumps aren’t operational yet, and it’s raining. We should have this problem solved by the end of the year.”

The National Weather Service has an urban flood advisory in effect for parts of Miami-Dade after the record rains, including in Doral, Sweetwater, Hialeah and Kendale Lakes.

The agency noted that most flood deaths occur in autos, and told drivers who encounter roads covered by water to turn around.

The National Weather Service office on the Florida International University campus recorded 3.64 inches of rain between 12:45 and 2 p.m. The campus has partially flooded roads and flooding in low-lying areas, according to the weather service.

Ruben Dario Middle School in Sweewater reported 4.03 inches of rainfall.

Miami Heat owner Micky Arison urged fans to head to AmericanAirlines Arena early ahead of Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers. “Lots of flooding,” Arison wrote on Twitter.

Minor flooding was reported on the Dolphin Expressway westbound near NW 87th Avenue and eastbound near NW 72nd Avenue but the road was still passable, according to the NWS.

Earlier, the weather service issued and then called a brief tornado warning for northwestern Broward County after the rotation that prompted the warning dissipated.

At the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, theatergoers returned for "The Lion King" Tuesday night, 48 hours after the last performance was halted by a roof leak.

“I was a little nervous because we had been looking forward to this show for a long time," one ticket holder said.

Back in Sweetwater, Ody Garcia came to check on her mother in her home.

“Thank God that it stopped, cause if it had not, it would've gone straight inside her house,” she said.

Garcia added about the flooding, "I really think they are trying to fix the streets and this issue for many years and they're actually working on it."

Stay with NBCMiami.com for updates.

Related: Afternoon Showers Expected Tuesday.

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