South Florida will keep experiencing periods of intense rain, gusty winds and possible flooding for the remainder of the week, forecasters warned Wednesday.
While mainly dry weather was expected in the area overnight Wednesday, all of South Florida will see rainy, stormy weather likely into next week, according to the National Weather Service Miami’s zone forecast Wednesday evening.
The weather this week is the result a non-tropical low that is projected to form off the coast of Florida and Georgia, and the effects began Tuesday evening with parts of South Florida under a severe thunderstorm warning.
As it develops, the system will create forces more akin to a winter nor’easter, forecasters said Tuesday. The east coast of Florida will experience strong northeast winds over the coming days, intensifying through Friday, and creating strong rip currents and marine hazards.
The dynamic wind and rain produced a rotating funnel cloud near West Palm Beach on Tuesday afternoon, as reported by WPEC-Ch. 12 meteorologist Michael Ehrenberg.
Dramatic video of a rotating funnel cloud near West Palm Beach earlier this afternoon. Thanks to @Vytasweatherguy for capturing this! @CBS12 @natwxdesk
— Michael Ehrenberg (@MichaelCBS12) September 19, 2023
Severe storms with winds up to 60 mph rolled east from near Alligator Alley into southern Broward County on Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service Miami.
The weather service said a peak gust of 60 mph was recorded at Miami Executive Airport shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, and as many as about 12,000 Florida Power & Light customers were without power on Tuesday night.
Forecasters said it was an “eventful evening as a powerful cluster of storms moved through the Everglades and impacted western portions of the east coast metro with strong-severe winds.”
The Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport recorded the most rain in South Florida between Tuesday and Wednesday morning with about 2.4 inches, followed closely by 2.3 inches in Pompano Beach, according to NWS Miami data. Another 1.5 inches fell at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport on Wednesday and another 1.7 inches in Pompano Beach.
9/19 7PM – ⚠️Heads up! A very strong thunderstorm over the Everglades is heading towards the Miami Metro area. Torrential downpours, severe wind gusts, and very frequent lightning will be possible over the next hour or so.
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) September 19, 2023
On Wednesday, the National Weather Service warned of strong thunderstorms capable of producing wind gusts up to 45 mph and hail. By the evening, forecasters said shower and thunderstorms would dissipate overnight, leaving mainly dry conditions through the night aside from over the water and on the east and west coasts.
Chances of rain won’t drop below 70% in most of South Florida until Saturday, the weather service’s forecast said Wednesday night, before rising back to 70% Sunday and into early next week. The strongest thunderstorms could produce severe wind gusts and small hail.
“The big thing we’ll need to watch through the week is a chance of heavy rainfall and maybe even flooding, and strong wind gusts from the thunderstorms that could develop,” National Weather Service Miami meteorologist Robert Garcia said. Flooding could occur through Friday, he said.
The NWS forecasts hazardous marine conditions off Palm Beach and Broward counties on Friday, and extending to Miami Dade County waters on Saturday. Those conditions include sustained winds of 20 to 33 knots and seas equal or greater than 7 feet. These are considered hazardous conditions for small craft.
Wind from the offshore low will be combining with remnant swells from Hurricane Lee to affect beach and ocean conditions.
The National Weather Service Miami is predicting a high risk of rip currents in Palm Beach County through Friday evening, and a moderate risk in Broward County most of the week through Friday. Saturday will see high rip current risks from Palm Beach County south to Key Biscayne in Miami-Dade County.
The non-tropical low should move north toward Georgia and the Carolinas and “could acquire some subtropical characteristics” on Friday, according to the latest advisory. The National Hurricane Center gave it a 40% chance of developing in the next seven days as of Wednesday night.
“Regardless of development, this low is likely to bring gusty winds to gale force, heavy rain, and high surf to portions of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic United States late this week and into this weekend,” the National Hurricane Center said.
