Temperatures Cool Slightly Across Florida Thanks to Immense Moisture

Posted: July 30, 2023 7:21 am

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The heat may be breaking across Florida but it is coming at the expenses of stormy conditions and flash flooding concerns. A flash food watch was in effect to end the work week across much of South Florida as tropical moisture dropped heavy rain across the region.

Here is a look at what you can expect to close out the weekend in this vacation hotspot.

Tropical Moisture Spurs Heavy Rain in South Florida

The rain falling across the Sunshine State is the result of a disturbance that had been packing tropical moisture and churning over the Caribbean over the last few days. While this disturbance did not strengthen enough to become a named storm, it still brought significant rain to the Caribbean and beyond over the last few days.

This rain is forecast to linger through Florida for the weekend with widespread rainfall amounts of 1 – 3 inches on tap.

The moisture is the result of a tropical wave that originated in Africa and moved across the Atlantic this past week. The stretch of the state from Miami and Key West has seen the most rain out of this weather maker.

The hardest-hit communities have picked up 3 – 4 inches of rain over the last few days. This was enough rain to prompt the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue a flood watch for a large majority of South Florida on Friday morning.

The slow-moving system was responsible for dropping a few inches of rain around Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. Drivers were stranded while traveling along portions of U.S. 1 as the rain refused to let up and the flood waters began to rise.

Air travelers using Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport also experienced several delays due to the inclement weather. In addition, one entrance to the airport was forced to close for a time because of an excess of standing water.

What is Still Left in the Rain Machine

The rain machine is not done impacting the state. Although it was South Florida that saw the brunt of the moisture to end the week, it will be the western and northern areas of the state that experience the sporadic rain showers to bring the weekend to a close.

Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 – 3 inches are in the forecast through the weekend for a large part of the state. While this rain will not be a constant presence, some of the showers could pack heavy downpours and severe weather impacts.

The coastal communities in the southern tier of the state will begin to dry out first. For instance, Miami is forecast to see the storms move out by Sunday afternoon. Orlando will also dry out after experiencing the worst of the impacts on Saturday.

The storms will linger through the afternoon hours on Sunday in places such as Tampa and Jacksonville. You will want to check the hourly forecast if your weekend plans call for a trip to the beach or other outdoor activities. It may be challenging to pinpoint exactly when the rain will fall across any given community across the peninsula.

Rain Will Cool Off Air and Mitigate Drought

The silver lining surrounding the rain is that the moisture will work to bring down temperatures. It has been a scorcher of a few weeks in Florida with some cities recording their highest average July temperatures in decades. The increase in cloud cover is already delivering a slight cooling effect.

For example, while Miami typically sees highs that eclipse the 90-degree mark during the last weekend in July, the readings will hover in the upper 80s for the weekend and into next week. Although the temperatures will trend only slightly below the historical average for the next week, it will feel lower after the hotter than normal weather as of late.

The immense moisture will also help to put a dent in the state’s drought conditions. According to Thursday’s data release from the U.S. Drought Monitor, approximately 10% of the state is under the designation of at least unusually dry conditions.

This report includes dry conditions for the major cities of Tampa and Fort Myers. The forecast is calling for 1 – 3 inches of rain over the weekend for both of these areas.

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