Slow-moving system could bring days of heavy rain and flooding to the Bahamas and Florida
Some areas could see 3 to 5 inches of rain.
Florida faces days of heavy rain as slow-moving system takes shape
A slow-moving system is developing near the Southwest Atlantic, bringing days of rain to Florida. Some areas could see 3 to 5 inches. A Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk has been issued for Friday, while a Level 2 out of 4 risk is in effect for Saturday.
THE TAKEAWAY
- A slow-moving system is developing near the Southwest Atlantic.
- This will cause days of rainfall across Florida and the Bahamas.
- Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk has been issued for Friday, while a Level 2 out of 4 risk is in effect for Saturday.
A slow-moving system is developing near the Southwest Atlantic as October ends, potentially bringing days of heavy rain, gusty winds and flash flooding to parts of the region.
HOW HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE DRIVE THE WEATHER
This comes as an upper-level low becomes cut off from the main jet stream. Meanwhile, a strong ridge is building across eastern Canada and the North Atlantic, which could trap the system offshore for several days, allowing a broad area of low pressure to develop over the warm waters near the Bahamas and the western Atlantic.
![North Miami Beach, Florida, pedestrian in crosswalk during heavy rain, downpour.]()
Image 1 of 4North Miami Beach, Florida, pedestrian in crosswalk during heavy rain, downpour. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group)
![A resident walks with an umbrella during a rain storm in Miami, Florida, US, on Thursday, June 13, 2024.]()
Image 2 of 4A resident walks with an umbrella during a rain storm in Miami, Florida, US, on Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg )
![Widespread flooding in Key West, Florida.]()
Image 3 of 4Widespread flooding in Key West, Florida. (Key West Police Department/Facebook)
![Pedestrians walk through the rain from Tropical Storm Gordon on September 3, 2018 in Miami Beach, Florida.]()
Image 4 of 4Pedestrians walk through the rain from Tropical Storm Gordon on September 3, 2018 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle)
While tropical development remains possible across the western Caribbean, Gulf of America and Southwest Atlantic, it is not guaranteed.
In the past, stalled fronts and upper-level disturbances have sometimes provided the starting point for late-season tropical or subtropical systems.
However, development will depend on the interactions between the upper-level disturbance, surface fronts and lingering tropical moisture.
(FOX Weather)
In this case, the low is expected to begin as a cold-core system, with strong wind shear or intrusions of dry air potentially preventing it from developing into a well-organized tropical structure.
For now, the primary concern is the potential for prolonged periods of rain and flooding across the Bahamas and South Florida.
(FOX Weather)
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the low will bring days of unsettled weather, with repeated rounds of showers, heavy rain and gusty winds across the Bahamas and nearby islands, including Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.
Florida is also expected to experience powerful wind gusts as high pressure interacts with the developing low offshore.
Because the system is forecast to move slowly, rainfall could accumulate over several days, increasing the risk of flooding.
The FOX Forecast Center said southeastern Florida, including Miami, could see 3 to 5 inches of rain.
This has prompted a Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk for Friday and a Level 2 out of 4 risk for Saturday.
CALIFORNIA DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY AS POTENTIALLY HISTORIC SUPER EL NIÑO LOOMS
If thunderstorms become more concentrated near the center of the system, and it remains over warm water, subtropical or tropical development could become possible.