At least God gave Noah a warning a flood was coming.

The cold front that swept through the South that triggered the area's rain was in the forecast. Tuesday morning, the Escambia County Emergency Management issued an approaching severe weather alert with possible flooding.

But how slow the cold front would move and the vast amount of rain it would dump on Northwest Florida was not in the forecast.

This morning residents awoke to local states of emergency in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as officials worked to assess the damage and urged people to stay off the roads.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for the area until 2 p.m. and the rumbles of thunder that kept folks awake much of the night continue this morning.

Part of Scenic Highway has collapsed due to the storm, according to photos from the Pensacola News Journal, and widespread damage is being reported throughout the area.

Departures from Pensacola International Airport are canceled through 11 a.m. according to their website.

At 11 p.m. Tuesday, Pensacola International Airport recorded an official 5.25 inches falling within 45 minutes, and the rain kept falling.

Rain totals could reach 24 inches in some areas for the 24-hour period. As of 5 a.m., Santa Rosa County spokeswoman Joy Tsubooka says the National Weather Service reports 17 inches of rain fell in Santa Rosa in the last 30 hours.

FLOODING, LIGHTNING, RESCUES

Social media lit up with stories, photos and video of flooding and weather damage. You could keep up with the flooding in real time, if your power stayed on. Around 21,000 customers were without power in the Gulf Power service area. Emergency crews are working to restore power.

Lightning strikes flashed constantly, lighting up the rising flood waters. More than 70,000 lightning strikes happened Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning, according to WEAR.

This photo is of front yards on East Burgess Road this morning.

The NOAA radar in Mobile County was hit by lightning and disabled. This left the radars at Eglin Air Force Base, which was offline for short period of time.

Around 8: 30 p.m., radar showed rotation in storm clouds which indicated a tornado near Fairfield Drive and hail fell on parts of Pensacola. Tornado damage has not been verified by weather officials.

Many area homes and businesses are flooded. Flood waters at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and Airport Boulevard near the Pensacola State College had waters up to windows of abandoned vehicles in the road.

Rescuers responded to emergencies throughout the night.

Some 80 to 100 people in the Bristol Park subdivision in Cantonment were rescued from flood waters. A 67-year-old woman drowned near Tate School Road in Cantonment.

Santa Rosa officials say one person was treated at Gulf Breeze Hospital for a near drowning in the Publix parking lot.

Tsubooka also reports that there was a house fire in the 3900 block of Wiley Penton in Pace and another in the 7200 block of Bayshore Drive in Waterview Estates. .

Six campers stranded at the KOA Campgrounds, 8700 Gulf Pines Drive in Milton. They are being transported to the Milton Community Center Shelter.

ROADS CLOSED, HELP COMING

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has two boats, staffed by four officers who are making medical rescues and helping pull stranded citizens to safety.

The Florida National Guard is sending "high wheeled vehicles" to help assist with rescues in flooded areas.

Nearly a dozen roads are closed as a result of flooding.

 Damage near the intersection of Baisden Road and Bayou Boulevard.

Mobile Highway at Bayou Marcus is closed as a result of a damaged bridge. The east end of Johnson Avenue is closed due to a lost bridge. Highway 297A is closed at Eleven Mile Creek due to a lost bridge.

Escambia County’s Public Safety, Roads Division and Public Works Department will be working throughout the day to repair roads to allow for safe travel.

In Santa Rosa, a flash flood warning has been issued for Big Coldwater Creek. The river is at minor flood stage of 10 feet and is expected to crest at 11 feet.

Residents living in the lower portion of Pond Creek should monitor the water levels in their area, including water levels on the roads leading to their home. Remember conditions can change very quickly and impassable roads may prevent any necessary evacuations.

The Blackwater and Yellow Rivers are not currently forecast to reach flood stage.

Staff Writer Shannon Nickinson contributed to this report. Aaron Holck contributed the lead photo of road damage on Johnson Avenue. 

SANTA ROSA ROAD CLOSURES

·        Intersection of Ward Basin Road and Hickory Hammock Road in East Milton

·        Hilarita Circle in Pace

·        Hamilton Bridge on Hamilton Bridge Road in Pace.

• Intersection of U.S. 98 and Greenbriar Parkway in Gulf Breeze
• Intersection of Diamond Street and Floridatown Road due to compromised roadway in Pace
• Street erosion  reported in 3900 block of Vivian Court in Pace
• East Bay Blvd./399 between Moss Cove and Paso de Vivoz in Navarre
• Pace Patriot Road in Pace
• Whiting Field Circle in Milton
• Giddens Road in Pace
• Intersection of Chumuckla Highway and Howell Pit Road in Chumuckla
• Intersection of North Spencerfield and West Spencerfield Roads
• Intersection of Chumuckla Highway and Norris Road in Pace due to compromised roadway
• U.S. 98 between Ortega Park Drive and Pullum Street
• U.S. 90 from Woodbine Road to the Glover Lane area

·        The west end of East Bay Boulevard near Cedar Street in Navarre is closed due to a broken water main. The detour for those east of Cedar is Bergen Road.

·        Deaton Bridge on Deaton Bridge Road

·        Thousand Oaks in Pace

 ·        East Bay Blvd./399 between Moss Cove and Paso de Vivoz in Navarre

·        Pace Patriot Road in Pace

·        Whiting Field Circle in Milton

·        Giddens Road in Pace

·        Chumuckla Highway and Howell Pit Road in Chumuckla

·        Intersection of North Spencerfield and West Spencerfield Roads

·        Intersection of Chumuckla Highway and Norris Road in Pace due to compromised roadway

·        U.S. 98 between Ortega Park Drive and Pullum Street

·        U.S. 90 from Woodbine Road to the Glover Lane area.

ESCAMBIA CLOSINGS: 

The following offices/services have been closed on Wednesday (Newest Information is in bold):

• ECAT Bus Service
• Pensacola Christian Academy
• Supervisor of Elections
• Escambia Health Department
• Escambia Tax Collector Offices
• Escambia County Schools
• Clerk of Court Offices
• Episcopal Day School
• Escambia County Board of County Commissioners (only essential employees are required to report for work)
• 1^st Judicial Circuit Court in Escambia County
• The Escambia County School System
• The University of West Florida
• The Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office