MIAMI – Over 100,000 people are without power in South Florida on Thursday as high winds and flooding rain blast the Miami area.
The FOX Forecast Center said the tropical storm-like conditions will continue across the Atlantic coast of Florida throughout the day, with 50-60 mph wind gusts possible in some locations.
The dangerous winds have prompted the National Weather Service to issue a High Wind Warning for coastal Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties until 1 p.m. EST.
According to PowerOutage.us, outages peaked around 125,000 people in South Florida early Thursday morning, but that number has since dropped to about 121,000 customers without power.
In addition to the strong winds, another 2-3 inches of rain is expected along parts of Florida’s Atlantic coast.
A Flood Watch has been issued for coastal counties of east-central Florida through Thursday evening. The watch does not extend far enough south to include Miami, as the heaviest additional rainfall will likely remain offshore in that area of South Florida.
The abundant tropical moisture began surging into the Sunshine State on Tuesday. According to computer forecast models, some areas may end up with more than a foot of total rain by Friday.
This could contribute to the already record-breaking rainfall levels experienced in the state this year.
So much rain has fallen in South Florida that Fort Lauderdale was crowned the wettest major city in America, with more than 100 inches of rain this year – and counting.
The weather also prompted Broward County Public Schools and Broward College to close Thursday.
The National Hurricane Center has even outlined the storm for possible tropical development, though it is unlikely to become a tropical depression or tropical storm.
The FOX Forecast Center said the system will likely produce dangerous conditions on Florida’s Atlantic beaches, including life-threatening rip currents and dangerous surf.
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Additionally, areas along the Gulf Coast from southeastern Louisiana to southwestern Mississippi are under coastal flood alerts through Thursday evening. Gusty northeasterly winds of up to 45 mph are pushing elevated tides into the coastal lowlands and causing some beach erosion and minor shoreline flooding.
The Gulf Coast has been experiencing long-term drought conditions, making the recent rainfall a welcome sight.
Over half of Louisiana is currently in a state of “exceptional drought,” the worst drought level. This has led to wildfires and smoky conditions, making driving dangerous and the air unhealthy. In Mississippi, almost 90% of the state is experiencing extreme and exceptional drought conditions.
Unfortunately, more than a week of rain won’t be enough to end the drought in either state. Regular rainfall events will be needed to provide relief from the drought.