Current Weather Outlook
Statewide weather outlook from Florida Division of Emergency Management Meteorology
Thursday, April 24, 2025
...Mostly Dry Conditions Across Much of the State Today...Isolated to Scattered Showers Possible Across The Florida Panhandle and Suwannee Valley This Afternoon and Evening, Dissipating After Sunset...Isolated to Scattered Showers Possible Across the Far Southern Peninsula and Keys Today and Tonight...Breezy Winds Near 5-15 MPH With Gusts Upwards of 10-20 MPH Today...Sensitive to Elevated Wildfire Conditions Persist Along the Peninsula This Afternoon and Evening...Elevated Risk (Level 1 of 3) for Fire Weather Along Much of the Peninsula; Dry and Breezy Conditions Likely By Afternoon Peak Heating Atop Dry Fuels...Mandatory Burn Bans Remain In Effect For Numerous Florida Peninsula Counties...Moderate to High Risk for Rip Currents Along East Coast and Florida Panhandle...Areas of Patchy to Dense Fog Possible Statewide Overnight Into Friday Morning...
Updated at 9:10 AM EDT
Today's Threats:
|
No Threat |
Low Threat |
Medium Threat |
High Threat |
|
Lightning |
Tornado |
Damaging Wind/Hail |
Flash Flooding |
Excessive Heat |
Wildfire |
Fog (Overnight) |
Rip Currents |
|
Locally FL Panhandle & Suwannee Valley |
Iso. FL Panhandle & Suwannee Valley |
Locally Interior & W Peninsula E-Peninsula |
Locally Panhandle and Suwannee Valley Statewide |
SE & Central-E Coasts NE Coast & Fl Panhandle West Coast |
Weather Summary for the Next 24 Hours:
Areas of patchy fog that have developed across portions of the state this morning will gradually lift and dissipate through the mid-morning hours.
A few isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms may be possible across interior portions of the Florida Panhandle and Suwannee Valley this afternoon an evening with the help of the sea breezes and a dissipating frontal boundary well to the north (10-30% chance of rain). This activity should generally diminish after sunset with the loss of daytime heating (near 0-5% chance of rain). An uptick in moisture will allow for the return of isolated to scattered shower activity across the far Southern Peninsula and Keys today, continuing into the overnight hours (10-30% chance of rain). Mostly dry conditions can be expected elsewhere today and tonight (near 0-5% chance of rain).
High temperatures will rise into the middle 80s to middle 90s nearly statewide today with locally cooler temperatures in the low to middle 80s along the East Coast and coastal Florida Panhandle with the help of the afternoon sea breezes. Easterly to southeasterly winds will reach near 5-15 mph with gusts upwards of 10-20 mph.
Sensitive to elevated wildfire conditions will persist along the Peninsula this afternoon and evening as relative humidity values continue to fall to near 35-45%. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is outlooking an Elevated Risk (level 1 of 3) for Fire Weather along much of the Peninsula as dry and breezy conditions are likely by afternoon peak heating atop dry fuels. Mandatory Burn Bans remain in effect for numerous Florida Peninsula counties.
Low temperatures will generally remain in the 60s overnight with low to middle 70s along Southeast Florida and the Keys. Areas of patchy to dense fog will be possible nearly statewide overnight into Friday morning.
Rip Currents: Onshore winds will continue to produce a moderate to high risk for rip currents along the East Coast today. A moderate risk for rip currents persist along numerous Florida Panhandle beaches today while a low risk can be expected elsewhere across the state. For the latest Rip Current Outlook, visit www.weather.gov/beach.
Marine Hazards: Wave heights upwards of 3-6’ are expected along the Atlantic-facing Keys today as persistent onshore winds build ocean swells along the coastline. Similarly, onshore winds will create wave heights near 2-4’ along the East Coast. All other Florida beaches can expect wave heights to remain near or below 1-2’ today.
Red Tide has been observed at background levels in one sample collected from Northwest Florida (Okaloosa County) over the past week (valid 4/18).
Coastal Flooding: Coastal flooding is not expected today; however, elevated water levels (0.25-0.75’ above normally dry ground) may be possible near and at times of high tide along the Florida Panhandle and West Coast.
Fire Weather: Areas of patchy fog that have developed across portions of the state this morning will gradually lift and dissipate through the mid-morning hours. Foggy conditions may further reduce visibility where there are ongoing wildfires. Mostly dry condition are expected across much of the state today with isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms possible across interior portions of North Florida this afternoon and evening and across South Florida and the Keys today and tonight. Easterly to southeasterly winds will reach near 5-15 mph with gusts upwards of 10-20 mph. Sensitive to elevated wildfire conditions will persist along the Peninsula this afternoon and evening as relative humidity values continue to fall to near 35-45%. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is outlooking an Elevated Risk (level 1 of 3) for Fire Weather along much of the Peninsula as dry and breezy conditions are likely by afternoon peak heating atop dry fuels. Mandatory Burn Bans remain in effect for Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lake, Lee, Orange, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia counties. Instances of fog will be possible overnight into Friday morning across the state. According to the Florida Forest Service, there are 90 active wildfires across the state burning approximately 2,782.72 acres.
Drought: Little rainfall was observed across the Sunshine State over the past week (as of 4/24), prompting areas of abnormal dryness (emerging drought) and drought expansion on this week’s Drought Monitor update. Abnormal Dryness has been expanded to cover nearly all of North Florida. Expanded areas of Severe to Extreme Drought were established over the Peninsula and now cover larger areas along and north of the I-4 corridor and across nearly all of South Florida. Moderate to Severe Drought conditions are in place across West-Central Florida with Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought conditions across East-Central Florida. As of April 23, 89 separate fires across Florida had scorched more than 3,400 acres (5 square miles). Several areas on the Florida Peninsula received only 25-50% of normal precipitation during the past 60-days. 90-day rainfall deficits are now near 3-5” below normal with higher pockets of 5-8” rainfall deficits north of the I-10 corridor, across portions of Southeast Florida, and in portions of the Panhandle. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is outlooking above normal temperatures and above normal rainfall across much of the state over the next week or so.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida is 437 (+9) on a scale from 0 (very wet) to 800 (very dry). There are 28 Florida counties ( Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia) with an average KBDI over 500 (drought/increased fire danger).
Flash Flooding: Flash flooding is not expected today. Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible across interior portions of North Florida and across the far Southern Peninsula and Keys today; however, rainfall totals are expected to remain well below 1” with locally higher totals near 1” possible.
Riverine Flooding: There are no riverine flooding concerns at this time. For more information, visit the River Forecast Center.
Lake Okeechobee’s average elevation is 11.62 feet, which is within the operational band and is 2.16 feet below normal for this time of year.
