South Florida under flood watch today and Saturday as Gulf system crosses state
South Florida will be under a flood watch through Saturday evening as a storm that is expected to bring “considerable rainfall” for much of the region moves across the area, forecasters said.
A low-pressure system that formed in the Gulf of Mexico started moving 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 weather briefing.
Forecasters anticipate between 2 to 4 inches of total rain with 6 inches or more possible in some areas. The flood watch for Broward County is scheduled through 4:30 p.m., and as of early Friday afternoon, the weather service indicated the greatest risk of strong storms has shifted to the south, including the Florida Keys, with moderate to heavy rain still falling that could generate localized flooding.
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 warn that 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, and marine hazard warnings exist along the entire South Florida coast.
