South Florida is getting some much-needed rain. Tornadoes can’t be ruled out of forecast
The God of Thunder has been hibernating in 2021, as far as South Florida is concerned.
Though some areas saw a little rain, for the most part Miami-Dade and Broward hasn’t seen much storm activity since Christmastime.
That could be changing this weekend, the National Weather Service in Miami said Saturday in its hazardous weather outlook.
Thunderstorms chance
According to the service, isolated to scattered thunderstorms are forecast and some could contain lightning, gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall.
Worth a little nastiness to get your lawns watered? Maybe.
But we don’t like this notation: “An isolated tornado or two cannot be ruled out today in association with strong thunderstorm development.”
Waterspouts across the Atlantic and Biscayne Bay waters, as well as Lake Okeechobee, can’t be ruled out either, the weather service said.
In Miami-Dade and Broward rain chances are 40% Saturday though 9 p.m. But by night the odds go up to 50%. Sunday calls for a 60% chance of rain or storms. Monday’s 30% rain chance will be it for the week as clear skies return.
Palm Beach County will be more active, with a 70% chance of storms Saturday and 80% Sunday.
Florida Keys forecast
The potential soaking and rumbling won’t be felt as much in the Lower Keys. No hazardous weather outlooks the farther south you go, such as Key West where chances for rain hover at 20% Saturday night and Sunday.
But Key Largo has a mariner’s alert owing to thunderstorms with heavy downpours in Middle and Upper Keys’ waters that are moving north.
Warm days ahead
The weak front approaching South Florida will bring warm days, said WSVN meteorologist Erika Delgado.
By 10 a.m. Saturday, Miami-Dade and Key West shared 75 degrees and parts of Broward, like Fort Lauderdale, felt toastier, up to 79, the weather service said.
The Keys are looking at low 80s through Friday and a degree or two cooler — about 80 degrees — for highs in Miami-Dade. Broward and Palm Beach counties.
This story was originally published February 6, 2021 at 10:44 AM with the headline "South Florida is getting some much-needed rain. Tornadoes can’t be ruled out of forecast."
