South Florida under flood watch Friday and Saturday as Gulf system crosses state
South Florida will be under a flood watch from Friday morning to Saturday evening as a storm that is expected to bring “considerable rainfall” for much of the region moves through the area, forecasters said Thursday.
A low-pressure system forming in the Gulf of Mexico will move across the state Friday. Its greatest effects are expected to be from Friday evening into Saturday morning, possibly into Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service Miami said in a 5 p.m. weather briefing.
Forecasters anticipate between 2 to 4 inches of total rain with 6 inches or more possible in some areas. The flood watch area includes all of Broward County, extending from Boca Raton in Palm Beach County south to Homestead in Miami-Dade County.
A wind advisory is also in place from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening from Jupiter to Homestead. Forecasters said sustained winds are expected to be between 20 and 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.
Forecasters warned Thursday afternoon that heavy rain and localized flooding are increasingly likely, and that isolated severe thunderstorms are possible. The strongest storms are expected to be in the southern parts of the region, with wind gusts potentially up to 60 mph, the weather service said.
“Exact rainfall totals will come down to the evolution of the low pressure system and its exact track — where some uncertainty unfortunately still remains,” the weather service said.
The Fort Lauderdale area is considered to be at slight risk of excessive rainfall, which means isolated and scattered flash floods are possible, according to NWS Miami.
Beach conditions will be significantly hazardous from Friday morning to Saturday night.
Periods of heavy rain is expected Friday and Friday night. The highest accumulations are likely to be along and south of Alligator Alley where 3-6 inches is possible with locally higher amounts. This may lead to some flooding, especially in urban and poor drainage locations. pic.twitter.com/TYlKUpDiDP
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) March 21, 2024