Current Weather Outlook

Weather Summary for the Next 24 Hours:

A cold front will finally move off of South Florida this evening. Ahead of this front, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected across areas south of Lake Okeechobee. While widespread severe weather is not expected, a strong storm or two with gusty winds and heavy downpours cannot be ruled out. Most of the storms in South Florida will end this evening with only a few isolated showers possible in the Keys and Southeast Florida metros overnight.

Meanwhile, a reinforcing cold front over the Panhandle will sweep into South Florida by Thursday morning. No rain is expected with this front, but another shot of cooler air is expected. It will also become breezy this afternoon across much of North and Central Florida with gusts of 15-25 mph possible.

Highs will be in the 70s and 80s across the state. Lows tonight will range from the 40s across North Florida to the 50s in Central and interior South Florida and 60s and 70s elsewhere.

Flash Flooding: Locally heavy rainfall is possible today in some storms across South Florida. A quick 1-3” of rain cannot be ruled out, which could cause some urban flooding, especially in the Southeast Florida metro areas.

Hydrology: A River Flood Warning is in effect for the Santa Fe River near O’Leno State Park. Minor flooding is forecast Thursday through Saturday. Moderate flooding is ongoing along the Ocklawaha River at Rodman Dam. For more information, visit the Southeast River Forecast Center here.

Coastal Flooding: There is no threat of coastal flooding today.

Lake Okeechobee’s average elevation is 14.26 feet, which is 0.39 feet above normal for this time of year.

Rip Currents: Breezy west to northwest winds will result in a moderate to high rip current risk from Walton to Gulf County today. All other beaches have a low risk. Waves will be 1-3’ statewide. For the latest Rip Current Outlook, visit www.weather.gov/beach.

Marine Hazards: The Red Tide bloom continues in Southwest Florida. Low to medium concentrations have been observed from Sarasota to Charlotte County. High concentrations have been reported in Charlotte Harbor. Reports of respiratory irritation and fish kills continue at local beaches.

Fire Weather: Rainfall across North and Central Florida have significantly wet the soils and fuels. Scattered showers and storms across South Florida today will help with wetting the soils and fuels. While humidity is high, winds will be breezy at 10-15 mph and temperatures in the mid-80s. Thus, the wildfire threat in South Florida will remain low. Lightning may spark additional wildfires.

There are currently 11 active wildfires across the state burning a total of 387.5 acres. 10 are 100% contained.