Soggy Weather Pattern and Beach Hazards Await Floridians This Week

Vacationers headed to Florida this week could be in for a disappointment. A slow-moving rainstorm is going to set up over the peninsula in the days ahead, dousing the region with disruptive rainfall. Here is a closer look at the timing and expected impacts of this major weather maker taking aim at Florida.

Florida Under the Gun for Major Rain and Wind Event

It is going to be a soggy week across the Sunshine State. A large storm system is forecast to crawl across the peninsula, bringing repeated thunderstorms and periods of heavy rain. The persistent nature of the moisture stream will inevitably raise the risk of localized flooding. In addition, strong onshore winds will increase the threat of dangerous surf conditions and rip currents along the Atlantic beaches.

The forecast is calling for 1 to 2 inches of rain up and down the Atlantic coastline and throughout South Florida. The hardest-hit locations could pick up 4 to 6 inches of rain out of this system. Poor drainage areas could experience flooding as the week progresses.

While the weather forecast is not good news for vacationers, people who call Florida home will welcome the meaningful moisture. Much of the state has been under increasing drought conditions and an elevated risk of wildfires.

Moisture has been hard to come by in Florida over the last few months. Some portions of the peninsula have received only one-quarter to one-third of the historical average of rainfall since the beginning of the year. According to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, almost 80% of the state is under one of the two more severe drought designations. This is now the worst drought that the state has seen in 25 years.