Clean up underway after rain caused patio ceiling collapse at University of Miami dorm
Clean up is underway after Sunday's heavy rain caused the
partial collapse
of a patio ceiling at a University of Miami dorm.
Crews worked through the morning to clear the debris caused by the collapse at the Mahoney Pearson dorm.
"It was pretty crazy. I didn't really think that that was gonna happen. Obviously, it's just the fact of the weather and they're old buildings, which is no excuse to say that they should have fallen down, but still, you know, things happen," UM student Dylan Prefontaine said.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
"It was raining and pouring and super windy, so i don't think anybody would be out there anyways, but you know, it was definitely scary to see," Prefontaine said.
University officials said they are assessing the damage and trying to determine why the collapse happened.
In Miami, some streets turned into streams. The doors of Kiki on the River had water rushing in as drivers navigated the flooded road. Near Northwest 15 Street and 7 Avenue, cars were stalled out as the roadways flooded.
On Miami Beach, some residents were trapped in their homes by rising water levels. Those dining at the Versace Mansion on Ocean Drive ended up soaked as water poured down.
Ultra Music Festival goers in Downtown Miami made the best of the rainy weather. Festival goers were seen diving into the mud puddles. The
party was put on a brief pause
because of the torrential rain. But after a short break, it continued.
"Crappy weather, but you know, it's still worth it. The people, the music, the sounds, the set up," said Sylvio Prosser.
"I mean it kind of sucks because I'd rather it be sunny but it's fine, it's Ultra day three so it'll be fun still," Rianna Hasbani said
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Massive Saharan dust cloud approaching Florida, Texas
Massive clouds of Sahara Desert dust are moving over the Atlantic toward Central and North America, with the possibility of reaching Florida and other states, including Texas, this week. The dust has covered parts of the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Haiti, and is projected to reach states along the Gulf Coast, like Mississippi and Alabama. 'The dust is due to a two to 2.5-mile-thick layer of the atmosphere, called the Saharan Air Layer, crossing over the Atlantic Ocean,' the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Wednesday. 'The warmth, dryness and strong winds associated with this layer have been shown to suppress tropical cyclone formation and intensification.' When the dust gets to the U.S., it can cause 'hazy skies as well as vivid sunrises and sunsets as the sun's rays scatter the dust in the atmosphere,' according to NOAA. The agency added that the dust can also 'suppress thunderstorm development over locations where the dust is especially thick.' The dust moves across the Atlantic from Africa every year, often called the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), which forms during late spring, summer and early fall, according to NOAA. 'SAL outbreaks can form when ripples in the lower-to-middle atmosphere, called tropical waves, track along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and loft vast amounts of dust into the atmosphere,' said Jason Dunion, a University of Miami hurricane researcher who works with NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. 'As the SAL crosses the Atlantic, it usually occupies a 2 to 2.5-mile-thick layer of the atmosphere with its base starting about 1 mile above the surface,' Dunion said Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- The Hill
Massive Saharan dust cloud approaching Florida, Texas
Massive clouds of the Sahara Desert dust are moving over the Atlantic toward Central and North America, with the possibility of reaching Florida and other states, including Texas, this week. The dust has covered parts of the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Haiti, and is projected to reach Mississippi and Alabama. 'The dust is due to a two to 2.5-mile-thick layer of the atmosphere, called the Saharan Air Layer, crossing over the Atlantic Ocean,' the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Wednesday. 'The warmth, dryness and strong winds associated with this layer have been shown to suppress tropical cyclone formation and intensification.' When the dust gets to the U.S., it can cause 'hazy skies as well as vivid sunrises and sunsets as the sun's rays scatter the dust in the atmosphere,' according to the NOAA. The agency added that the dust can also 'suppress thunderstorm development over locations where the dust is especially thick.' The dust moves across the Atlantic from Africa every year, often called the Saharan Air Layer, which forms during late spring, summer and early fall, according to the NOAA. 'SAL outbreaks can form when ripples in the lower-to-middle atmosphere, called tropical waves, track along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and loft vast amounts of dust into the atmosphere,' said Dr. Jason Dunion, a University of Miami hurricane researcher who works with NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. 'As the SAL crosses the Atlantic, it usually occupies a 2 to 2.5-mile-thick layer of the atmosphere with its base starting about 1 mile above the surface,' Dunion said on Sunday.
Forbes
5 days ago
- Forbes
4 Quick Facts About African Dust Approaching The U.S.
In recent days, a quick look up into the skies of the United States could yield anything from Canadian wildfire smoke to the Aurora Borealis. African dust will be added to the list over the next few days. Here are four quick facts about the African dust approaching the United States this week. June 1st is the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, but atmospheric scientists also watch for the Saharan Air Layer too. Often referred to by scientists as the SAL, NOAA defines it as, 'A mass of very dry, dusty air that forms over the Sahara Desert during the late spring, summer and early fall.' In the satellite imagery taken on June 2nd, source regions are evidence over the Desert, and hazy plumes of dust are evident over the Atlantic Ocean. As an aside, plumes of smoke from Canadian wildfires are evident over the U.S. too. Jason Dunion is a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami and is also affiliated with NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. In a NOAA '101' about the SAL, he said, 'SAL activity typically ramps up in mid-June and peaks from late June to mid-August, with new outbreaks occurring every three to five days.' The outbreaks can transport dust as far west as Texas and Central America. So why does this happen? It's actually related to some of the triggering mechanisms associated with peak season hurricane activity. Dunion went on to say, 'SAL outbreaks can form when ripples in the lower-to-middle atmosphere, called tropical waves, track along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and loft vast amounts of dust into the atmosphere.' Those tropical waves, under the right conditions, can develop into tropical cyclones or hurricanes. Speaking of hurricanes, the SAL can be so thick and expansive that it has effects on tropical systems. Scientists believe the dry, dusty, and warm SAL impacts tropical storm development, but like most things in science, it's complicated. Nearly two decades ago, NASA and conducted a large experiment called the NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) campaign. The goal was to understand how the dust aerosols affect tropical development. That effort and others have mostly concluded that African dust inhibits development of tropical activity. Hurricane development can be impacted by a dry air in the middle levels of the atmosphere, which is often where you find the SAL. Developing systems can also be torn apart in the early stages of development by wind shear associated with strong plume of air (an easterly jet) often associated with Saharan dust storms. The dust itself is also problematic too. It can help to stabilize the atmosphere and prevent the ocean water from heating up. One complication is that some studies have indicated that dust aerosols can serve as cloud 'seeds' and invigorate cloud development, but most scholars believe the negative impact dominates. Overall, a 2019 study found that hurricane activity increased in the North Atlantic with reduced dust loads. I remember visiting Puerto Rico during my time at NASA. One topic that came up was related to African dust. I was told that the dust from African can be quite helpful in fertilizing soil and beach-building in places like the Caribbean Islands and parts of Amazonia. However, studies have also indicated that the dust can cause health problems ranging from upper respiratory issues to allergies. During a 2024 dust outbreak, the Caribbean Public Health Agency issued a press release that warned, 'Saharan dust worsens air quality and increases the levels of particulate matter in the air. This can be hazardous, especially to small children, older adults and people with underlying lung conditions and chronic cardiopulmonary diseases.' Additionally, at least one study found that harmful bacteria can often 'catch a ride' in the SAL plumes too. Thanks to physics, the African dust can make for brilliant sunrises or sunsets. Because of the way light scatters with larger dust particles when the sun is low on the horizon, the longer wavelengths in the color spectrum like reds and oranges are quite vibrant. Hopefully, you can enjoy clear skies (and avoid "dirty rainfall) so that you can see one of the awesome sunsets or sunrises.
