Get ready for a wild weather ride in Florida. Severe storm warnings issued
What do we get in South Florida for a heat index that could skyrocket to 106 degrees on Thursday?
Strong thunderstorms with potential wind gusts up to 55 mph, flooding and frequent lightning, the National Weather Service says.
By mid afternoon, Miami-Dade and Broward were already under severe thunderstorm warnings, as skies crackled in Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Hollywood, Davie, Doral, Miami Gardens, Aventura and other parts of South Florida.
Shortly after 2:30 p.m., National Weather Service meteorologists started tracking strong thunderstorms from Boca Pointe to Homestead. These slow-moving storms — about 5 mph — were capable of bringing small hail, funnel clouds and winds stronger than 45 mph.
People in the following cities should take heed and watch for flooding roads and, of course, lightning strikes:
Miami, Hialeah, Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Miramar, Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Davie, Miami Beach, Plantation, Sunrise, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Homestead, Tamarac, Margate, Coral Gables, Key Biscayne and South Miami.
This is what you can expect in a forecast that calls for a 60% chance of severe storms that could last into the night.
“Damaging winds could occur, especially over the east coast metro areas and vicinity,” the weather service says.
About half an inch or rain is expected except in areas where multiple thunderstorms pass through.
That threat grew after 2:30 p.m. as flood warnings were issued from Homestead in South Miami-Dade to Aventura in North Miami-Dade for a two-hour period.
The National Weather Service in Miami also issued a marine warning and noted a strong thunderstorm in Collier County.
WPLG sports anchor and reporter Clay Ferraro posted a clip of “crazy lighting [and] thunderstorm” in Davie Thursday afternoon.
Bradenton and the Tampa Bay region will get just as much rain over a wider area — 80% Thursday and 60% chance Friday. But temperatures were a reasonable 77 degrees Thursday morning. Saturday brings the high up to 91. Unsettled weather keeps rain chances in the 30%-50% chance through Wednesday in Bradenton.
Heat warning
That wetness will have hot grounds to fall upon. The high is 86 in Miami and 93 degrees in Marathon (which, like all of the Florida Keys, could see isolated thunderstorms, but not as many as predicted for the mainland).
But it will feel as hot as 106 today — and 107 degrees on Friday and through early next week when rain chances in Miami decline to 30% on the weekend and 20% into Wednesday. Saturday’s high in Miami is forecast at 89 and in Fort Lauderdale it should hit 90.
Orlando is going to get up to 92 degrees, but a weak cool front has stalled just north of Lake and Volusia counties and is expected to hover through Thursday night. This means a lot of rain — 80% — is soaking east central Florida and to the south of this front, the National Weather Service says. Strong wind gusts, too.
The wettest weather in that part of Florida is expected from Osceola and Brevard counties, something that already started Thursday morning.
Tropical system
As for the tropical system the National Hurricane Center is looking at, it’s now a nearly stationary frontal system and a weak area of low pressure that is bringing clouds and disorganized showers across the northern and central Gulf of Mexico. The blob is expected to drift northward.
Don’t worry about this one, the Hurricane Center says. Development is given a near zero chance of development over the next five days since upper-level winds are in play.
This story was originally published July 25, 2019 at 10:14 AM.
