MIAMI – There won’t be much sunshine in the Sunshine State this week as a stationary front remains parked over Florida, sparking numerous chances of heavy rain and thunderstorms through the rest of the week, and forecasters are also keeping their eye on possible tropical development off the southeastern coast of the U.S.
Regardless of tropical development at the end of the week, the area of disturbed weather will likely drop several inches of rain from Florida to the Carolinas and into the mid-Atlantic states, accompanied by gusty winds that could produce large waves, dangerous rip currents and coastal flooding.
With the front stalled over Florida, there will be a risk of thunderstorms that could produce heavy rain, gusty winds and frequent lightning.
And while the chances of showers and thunderstorms will be higher from the Orlando area and points south, most of the activity will be prevalent across South Florida and along areas where sea breeze boundaries along the Atlantic coast set up during the day.
HERE’S WHEN THE SUNSHINE STATE’S RAINY SEASON GETS UNDERWAY
Inland areas of the state could pick up 1 to 2 inches of rain through the rest of the week and into the weekend. However, higher totals between 2 and 3 inches and locally higher amounts are possible in places like West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Farther north along the coast, areas like Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Melbourne can also expect to see a few inches of rain this week.
By Friday, there could be another issue that residents in the Southeast will need to keep an eye on – possible tropical development off the coast.
“Thunderstorms that are lurking off the east coast of Florida could come together in our next area to watch,” FOX Weather meteorologist Jane Minar said.
Thunderstorm activity over the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean could be some of the fuel it needs to develop into a tropical system, but there won’t be much time for it to get its act together and develop.
“This is going to happen either Friday or Saturday,” Minar continued. “The timeline is very short here, if it happens at all.”
Regardless of what happens, the weather won’t be ideal in coastal areas from Florida to the Carolinas and into the mid-Atlantic states.
“We could see flooding rains, gusty winds, and we have this consistent onshore push of wind over the next several days,” Minar said.
With that onshore push of wind, areas along the coast should make preparations for coastal flooding.
Charleston, South Carolina, for example, already had several days of soggy weather and coastal flooding over the weekend.
“You might see a little bit more water push in with those tides, especially with that onshore push of water,” Minar said. “But the system continues up the coast.”
Winds will be whipping along the coast, with places like Hatteras, North Carolina, potentially seeing wind gusts approaching hurricane force.
Elsewhere, winds are expected to gust anywhere from 40 to 50 mph across the region.
Several inches of rain is also forecast to fall along the east coast from the Carolinas to the mid-Atlantic. The highest rain totals will be found closer to the coast, where 3 to 5 inches of rain could fall from North Carolina into Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
Locally higher amounts are also possible along North Carolina’s Outer Banks.