Life in South Florida Severely Disrupted Thanks to Potent Tropical Weather System

Posted: November 17, 2023 8:49 am

It was a miserable few days for much of South Florida as a wind and rainstorm took aim at the region late Tuesday and did not let up until early Thursday. Here is a look back at this intense weather maker as well as information on where it is headed next.

Moisture-Rich Storm Batters South Florida

The Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was forced to close for a time as the heavy rain and strong winds battered the region with the force of a tropical storm. The severe weather came about as a storm spinning in the Gulf of Mexico reorganized and sucked in immense moisture from the Gulf, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea. This mass of moisture came onshore in the southeastern corner of Florida, flooding roadways and wreaking havoc on several communities.

The Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport recorded 12.47 inches of rain in a period from late Tuesday and into early Thursday. The city of Hollywood reported 10.26 inches of rain in this same time period while Miami clocked in with up to 10 inches of rain depending on the location.

The Florida Keys also picked up significant amounts of rain. Key Largo reported 13.80 inches of rain. Other portions of the western and central portions of the Keys came in with anywhere between 4 and 8 inches.

Meanwhile, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is now predicted to see the wettest year on record after hitting a total 101.66 inches of rain over the course of 2023 so far. The 1947 record of 102.36 inches is well within reach with six weeks to go in the year.

In addition to the disruptions to airline travel, the heavy rain also forced the closures of schools and triggered power outages. Several vehicles became stranded in rising waters in an area stretching from Miami Beach and up to Pompano Beach in the Fort Lauderdale area.

Winds Also an Issue

Strong winds were also a defining feature of this storm system. Gusts of 40 to 50 mph were reported along the northern edge of the Keys and through the southeastern region of the Sunshine State. A top gust of 86 mph was clocked at North Key Largo and Miami Beach recorded a gust of 75 mph late Wednesday.

Not surprisingly, winds of this magnitude created a number of power outages. As of early Thursday, over 100,000 customers were still without power in southeastern Florida. Over 60,000 of these outages are in heavily populated Miami-Dade County.

What is Next for the Storm?

The storm system will not be over after it moves out of Florida. Wind shear circulating in the upper levels of the atmosphere will turn this tropical system into a more typical cold season storm as it moves up the Eastern Seaboard in the coming days.

The movement of this feature will take it just far enough off the coast of the mid-Atlantic to avoid drenching this stretch of coastline like it did to Florida. The current forecast is predicting that the storm will pass over Cape Cod, Massachusetts on Saturday while western and central portions of New England will dodge the biggest impacts.

Although the storm will pick up in intensity as it moves to the north, it is not expected to develop into a powerful nor’easter. The area most likely to see the harshest effects will be centered over Atlantic Canada due to the storm’s movement to the east.

Most of the Interstate 95 corridor will pick up a few rain showers. For instance, there is little rain in the forecast for New York City on Friday night and into Saturday morning. However, Boston will be more likely to see heavier bands of rain and some winds on Saturday. The region should be prepared for minor coastal flooding as the northerly winds shove the water toward the coast in eastern Massachusetts.

Chilly Air Will Create Chance of Light Snow

Portions of upstate New York and northwestern New England may see enough cold air to turn some of the rain showers into snow on Saturday. Forecasters are not expecting any significant accumulations.

The chilly air will eventually push across the Northeast behind the storm late Saturday and into Sunday. Residents can expect the mercury to fall up to 20 to 30 degrees from the unseasonable warmth that enveloped the region to close out the work week. For instance, temperatures may struggle to top the freezing mark in northern England on Sunday while the readings will hover in the 50s around the nation’s capital. This will be a stark difference from the temperatures that landed 10 to 20 degrees above the historical norm on Thursday and Friday.

More light snow showers may be a possibility in upstate New York, the northeastern corner of Ohio, and northwestern Pennsylvania on Sunday as a weak disturbance pushes in behind the cold air mass.

Looking Ahead to Early Next Week for the Northeast

The start of the new work week will bring drier conditions to the Northeast, however, more storms are on the horizon for the south-central U.S. This storm system is forecast to bring up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to form a large area of rain and thunderstorms over the Lower Mississippi Valley before expanding into the Ohio Valley and the southern Appalachians by early Tuesday.

This surge of moisture is forecast to move into the mid-Atlantic, the Northeast, and New England Tuesday afternoon and evening. The storm will be moving at a fast clip, hopefully exiting the region ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. However, air travelers should anticipate the chance of delays if taking to the skies on Wednesday.

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