Tropical trouble looms off Southeast coast over Fourth of July holiday as Florida braces for flooding rain
In addition to the precipitation, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) expects to be monitoring an area of disturbed weather for tropical development, which will become the main focus for forecasters through the weekend and into next week.
Possible tropical trouble off Southeast coast could ruin outdoor Fourth of July holiday plans
Millions of people in Florida and the Southeast are keeping a close eye on the weather forecast that could halt outdoor and beach plans across the region over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. FOX weather Storm Specialist Mike Seidel was in Clearwater Beach, Florida, with the latest.
TAMPA, Fla. – Millions of people in Florida and the Southeast are keeping a close eye on the weather forecast that could halt outdoor and beach plans across the region over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
In addition to the precipitation, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) expects to be monitoring an area of disturbed weather for tropical development, which will become the main focus for forecasters through the weekend and into next week.
Regardless of tropical development, Florida is expected to see additional flooding rain and thunderstorms through the foreseeable future.
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MILLIONS OF 4TH OF JULY TRAVELERS FACE POTENTIAL STORM-RELATED DELAYS ACROSS US
The NHC said that an area of low pressure could develop near the southeastern U.S. Atlantic or Gulf coasts by this weekend along a weakening frontal boundary.
Environmental conditions appear only marginally conducive for some slow development, but a tropical or subtropical depression could form over the region over the Fourth of July holiday weekend or early next week as the system meanders off the coast.
Right now, the NHC is giving the system a medium chance of developing over the next seven days.
Florida's 4th of July holiday outdoor, beach plans in jeopardy
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As a stalling cold front weakens over Florida in the coming days, torrential rain and thunderstorms are likely across the Florida Peninsula through the end of the upcoming weekend.
Several inches of rain could fall along Florida's Gulf coast from the Cedar Key area southward through Sarasota, as well as in the Orlando area.
Heavy rain is also likely to have an impact on holiday weekend plans on the Atlantic coast of Florida, from around the Daytona Beach area through Cocoa Beach and Melbourne on the Space Coast and into cities like West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
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NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center (WPC) placed a large portion of Florida in a Level 1 out of 4 flash flood threat over the next several days.
However, a Level 2 threat was highlighted along Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Wednesday, that threat zone extends from north of the Tampa area southward through the Sarasota area. On Thursday, the threat extends even farther south to the Fort Myers and Naples area.
And because of the flood threat, several counties in the Tampa area have started to offer sandbags to residents to help them prepare and stay safe. Counties currently offering sandbags include Hernando, Pasco and Sarasota.
On Friday, the Fourth of July, the flood threat pulls back a bit, and a large area of Central Florida was placed under a Level 1 flash flood threat.
The threat of flooding also continues for a portion of Florida’s Gulf coast on Saturday.