Just behind Imelda, another tropical threat has a low chance of development off the coast of Florida. Regardless of development, a stalled boundary and tropical moisture will keep things rainy through the weekend causing flooding concerns. Some areas could see more than a half a foot of rain.
MIAMI – After being spared from back-to-back hurricanes, Florida will continue to see the potential for flooding rain through the weekend as the National Hurricane Center is tracking a new area off the coast of South Florida for possible tropical development.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, former hurricanes Imelda and Humberto have left conditions in the Atlantic ripe for a persistent rainy and windy pattern throughout the Southeast. Tropical moisture and a stalled cold front across Florida will create widespread rainfall and an increased risk of flash flooding.
“Regardless of anything developing here, we had this residual boundary, this stalled boundary, that’s going to help instigate showers and storms and keep things unsettled and that moisture streaming in from the east,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Marissa Torres said. “It’s a really large, long moisture tail that leads into Florida.”
Persistent rain will build the flooding threat starting Thursday and peaking through Monday.
(FOX Weather)
A Level 1 out of 5 flood threat will be in place through Sunday for much of Florida’s Atlantic coast and parts of southeastern Georgia.
Widespread rain totals could reach between 3 and 5 inches on the east coast, with isolated totals reaching 8 inches through Monday along the Atlantic coastline. Florida’s Treasure, Space and First coasts will see some of the highest rain totals for the state, according to current models.
Additionally, persistent onshore flow may also elevate the risk of coastal flooding in low-lying areas and enhance the danger of rip currents.
All this talk of rain makes it a good time to mention that not all of the Sunshine State has been turned into the rainy state this fall. Florida is experiencing a tale of two states this year, with some of the driest conditions on the Gulf Coast and the wettest on the east coast.
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With a slower start to the Atlantic hurricane season and little signs of life in the Gulf, Florida’s west coast is having a dry run.
“The only thing you could hypothesize, if something does develop, moves over the Florida Peninsula, then it gets into the Gulf, then you might get some moisture, but there’s a very low chance that that happens,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan said.
A graphic showing Florida’s current soil moisture differences on the east and west coasts.
(FOX Weather)
Tampa saw its driest September on record with under an inch of rain throughout the month. Tallahassee experienced its third-driest September with just over a half-inch of rain. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the state, Miami saw 16.52 inches, its third-wettest September on record, and Daytona Beach received more than a foot of rain, marking its 10th-wettest September.
