MIAMI – Record-breaking heat continues to bake Florida after many locations saw their hottest May on record, and now a flood threat is adding insult to injury as tropical downpours are expected to move into the Sunshine State at the start of the new workweek.
If you’re in Florida or have visited recently, then you know how miserable it has been.
Cities across the peninsula from Central Florida to South Florida, including Orlando, Melbourne, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, all just saw their hottest May on record.
With the start of meteorological summer behind us, many families are deciding to travel to Florida to visit one of the numerous theme parks or to relax on a pristine beach. But for those from out-of-state who may not be accustomed to the heat and humidity, as well as residents who are susceptible to high heat, precautions will need to be taken to prevent heat-related illnesses like heat stroke and heat exhaustion as temperatures soar into the 90s with feels-like temperatures well-above 100 degrees.
The heat isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, either. And when you factor in the humidity, temperatures will feel much hotter. The feels-like temperatures across the Florida Peninsula will be at or above 100 degrees likely through the weekend.
As if the heat wasn’t enough, tropical moisture from the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico is expected to surge northward next week.
And with that comes the risk of torrential rain and flooding across many areas of Florida.
“If you don’t have a good pair of windshield wipers, I would recommend you replace them now,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Kendall Smith said.
Smith said 2-3 inches of rain is possible in central and South Florida, but we’re still several days out, and the forecast rainfall totals will likely change a bit.
And there won’t be much movement.
“We don’t have a moving mechanism,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera said. “A trough, a front, something to move (the storms) out of the area.”
It sounds like a lot of rough weather ahead, but it’s typical for Florida to see a lot of rain at this time of year.
“If you’re wondering if this is normal – yes,” Smith said. “We do typically pick up the vast majority of our precipitation during these months.”
Smith said 77% of Florida’s yearly rain falls between the months of June and October.
“But, it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with at all,” Smith continued. “So, just, unfortunately, if you have vacation plans or anything that you’re doing outdoors, you probably won’t be able to do that.”
Original article source: Florida braces for tropical downpours in wake of record-breaking heat
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