I posted earlier about the record high rainfall at St. Petersburg for any day in history back to 1916. Here’s the official NWS release about the 18.54” which has history slightly further back (to 1914). This is interesting because they noted the previous record from 8/2/1915, 15.45”. That extreme an amount seemed to be very localized based on a much lower amount at Tampa and other cities. It was a result of storm #1 that had a landfall at Titusville with it recurving well E of St. Pete:
RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAMPA BAY FL
400 AM EDT THU OCT 10 2024
..WETTEST DAY ON RECORD AT SAINT PETERSBURG
..RECORD DAILY MAXIMUM RAINFALL SET AT SAINT PETERSBURG
A RECORD RAINFALL OF 18.54 INCHES WAS SET AT SAINT PETERSBURG
YESTERDAY. THIS BROKE THE OLD DAILY RECORD FOR OCTOBER 9TH OF
1.56 INCHES SET IN 1953.
THIS ALSO SET A NEW DAILY RECORD FOR ANY DAY OF THE YEAR BREAKING
THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 15.45 INCHES SET ON AUGUST 2, 1915. RECORDS
IN SAINT PETERSBURG BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 1914.