ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida gets a brief reprieve from the extreme summer heat in exchange for rounds of thunderstorms increasing the flooding threat across parts of the Sunshine State.
While summer thunderstorms are normal here, this week will be more active than usual even for Florida as a cold front stalls across the state late this week, increasing the intensity and coverage of storms.
The rain could help the drought in the Tampa Bay area, however, the repeat rains may also cause flooding in South Florida.
Though Sunday, the FOX Forecast Center is tracking between 3 and 5 inches of rain to fall across Florida, with the majority of the rain arriving between Wednesday and Saturday. The forecast will repeat over the next 7 days with rounds of thunderstorms.
The Summer swelter will ease up thanks to the stormy conditions, dropping highs into the low 90s and upper 80s for Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville. On Florida’s east coast, temperatures will be a few degrees lower for areas including Cocoa Beach, with greater winds between 10 and 20 mph starting Wednesday.
It’s not just Florida getting soaked this week. The cold front will bring thunderstorms throughout the Southeast on Wednesday to New Orleans, Savannah, Atlanta, and up through Raleigh.
Most of the Southeast remains under heat advisories on Tuesday with heat index values above 100 degrees. Some Excessive Heat Warnings and Advisories could begin expiring Tuesday night with the first rounds of rain.
Flash flooding is possible for North Florida and the Panhandle beginning Tuesday night and into Wednesday due to the excess rain.
Throughout the week, the flood threat will expand through Florida and continue into the weekend. The areas most at risk are places that frequently see isolated flooding, including Miami.
Fort Lauderdale has a nearly 40-inch surplus of rain above the seasonal average.
“The flood risk here is centered around South Florida and unfortunately, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, have both been impacted,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Amy Freeze said.
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Some of the rain will benefit parts of Central and Southwest Florida experiencing drought conditions. Drought conditions from Abnormally Dry to Extreme Drought persist from Naples to the Tampa Bay area.
Tampa, St. Petersburg and Lakeland could receive up to 5 inches of rain over the next week, putting a solid dent in the drought.