How much wind will we get from the tropical weather? Here’s an hourly guide
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Tropical weather in South Florida
How Florida will be affected by a tropical system heading to the state from the Gulf of Mexico.
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Tropical storms often are rain and wind events and, sure enough, South Florida is under a flood watch and a tropical storm warning as a big, sloppy disturbance that could turn into Tropical Storm Alex threatens to become the hurricane season’s first unwanted guest.
So far we’ve heard that this tropical weather on Friday and Saturday is going to be primarily a rain thing — perhaps four to eight inches and up to a foot in isolated areas.
But what about the wind?
Should we put up shutters? We often do during tropical storm warnings. Is potential Alex different?
The short answer, kind of. But not entirely.
Ana Torres-Vazquez, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami, answers some of your questions.
Should you put up shutters?
“We could have some wind gusts, and some instances of sustained winds, in the 30 to 40 mile per hour range, but it is not the main concern. That is to say, we want the focus on people really preparing for all the rain and the flooding,” Torres-Vazquez said.
But she also notes — as does the service’s wind gust and surface speed tracker — there is a chance of 60 mph wind gusts at 10 a.m. Saturday, with 40 mph surface winds, at what appears to be the peak time Miami-Dade should see big winds from this system.
The service also notes in its hazardous weather outlook that isolated tornadoes are also possible Friday afternoon into Saturday as the potential cyclone’s effects pester South Florida. The best chance for tornadoes appears to be in the overnight hours around 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. Saturday, according to Torres-Vazquez.
“With the winds, that’s all going to come down to how the system continues to develop over the water and interaction with Cuba,” Torres-Vazquez said Friday afternoon.
The center isn’t going to make any specific, direct recommendations on what people should do regarding shutters for this event, she said. It comes down to a personal decision. “If people would feel safer putting their shutters up, then by all means, as much protected as they can feel, we can’t say anything on that.”
Note this, too: In terms of winds, the would-be Alex isn’t all that different from recent storm threats in South Florida.
“During the past few months when we’ve had the threat for severe weather and we go into wet season the public has probably seen us talking about the potential for wind with the same rates we have right now — 39 to 57 miles per hour — with the isolated, scattered and widespread storms that we’ve had in the past month or so. So this is not outside of that same realm.”
Wind speed times
Here’s a look at the forecast wind gusts and surface wind forecasts on an hourly basis for Friday and Saturday from this tropical weather.
In Miami-Dade:
▪ 2 p.m Friday.: 28 mph wind gusts with 22 mph surface winds.
▪ 5 p.m.: 23 mph wind gusts and 23 mph surface winds.
▪ 8 p.m.:29 mph wind gusts with 23 mph surface winds.
▪ 11 p.m.: 31 mph wind gusts with 26 mph surface winds.
▪ 2 a.m. Saturday: 36 mph wind gusts with 29 mph surface winds.
▪ 5 a.m. Saturday: 39 mph wind gusts with 29 mph surface winds.
▪ 8 a.m. Saturday: 34 mph wind gusts with 29 mph surface winds.
▪ 10 a.m. Saturday: 60 mph wind gusts with 40 mph surface winds.
▪ 11 a.m. Saturday: 41 mph wind gusts with 32 mph surface winds.
▪ Wind gusts and surface winds fall in the upper 20 and low 30 mph gusts range and mid to low 20s for surface winds after noon into Saturday evening.
In Broward:
▪ 2 p.m Friday.: 18 mph wind gusts with 14 mph surface winds.
▪ 5 p.m.: 20 mph wind gusts and 17 mph surface winds.
▪ 8 p.m.: 18 mph wind gusts with 15 mph surface winds.
▪ 11 p.m.: 16 mph wind gusts with 16 mph surface winds.
▪ 2 a.m. Saturday: 20 mph wind gusts with 16 mph surface winds.
▪ 5 a.m. Saturday: 21 mph wind gusts with 18 mph surface winds.
▪ 8 a.m. Saturday: 33 mph wind gusts with 25 mph surface winds.
▪ 10 a.m. Saturday: 49 mph wind gusts with 38 mph surface winds.
▪ 11 a.m. Saturday: 26 mph wind gusts with 21 mph surface winds.
▪ Wind gusts and surface winds fall in the low 20 to mid 20 mph gusts range and surface winds in the teens after noon into Saturday evening.
In Monroe/Keys:
▪ 2 p.m Friday.: 31 mph wind gusts with 22 mph surface winds.
▪ 5 p.m.: 21 mph wind gusts and 21 mph surface winds.
▪ 8 p.m.: 32 mph wind gusts with 23 mph surface winds.
▪ 11 p.m.: 32 mph wind gusts with 28 mph surface winds.
▪ 2 a.m. Saturday: 38 mph wind gusts with 29 mph surface winds.
▪ 5 a.m. Saturday: 47 mph wind gusts with 35 mph surface winds.
▪ 8 a.m. Saturday: 39 mph wind gusts with 30 mph surface winds.
▪ 10 a.m. Saturday: 38 mph wind gusts with 28 mph surface winds.
▪ 11 a.m. Saturday: 38 mph wind gusts with 28 mph surface winds.
▪ Wind gusts and surface winds fall around 20 mph gusts range and low teens for surface winds after noon into Saturday evening.
This story was originally published June 3, 2022 at 1:34 PM.
