South Florida is bracing for a soaking Tuesday as the CBS News Miami Next Weather team has issued a Next Weather Alert Day, warning of potentially heavy rainfall, street flooding and isolated strong storms expected to impact the region through the afternoon and evening hours.
Two low-end weather threats, damaging winds and flash flooding, are forecast to develop as a cold front moves across the region, bringing deep tropical moisture, gusty winds and scattered thunderstorms.
Localized flooding and strong storms possible
The front, which has already brought severe weather and flooding to parts of the Southeast, is expected to arrive in South Florida by midday Tuesday.
CBS News Miami’s chief meteorologist Ivan Cabrera said that while the system has a history of producing severe weather farther north, South Florida’s main concern will be flooding rains between noon and 4 p.m.
“This front could produce some intense downpours in a short amount of time,” Cabrera said. “Some isolated storms could dump 1 to 3 inches of rain very quickly, especially across coastal Broward, Miami-Dade, and the Upper Keys.”
The CBS News Miami Next Weather team is also watching for the possibility of damaging wind gusts in far southeastern Miami-Dade and the Upper Keys.
While severe weather ingredients are not as strong in South Florida as they were up north, a few strong cells could still develop along and ahead of the front.
Drier days ahead after Tuesday’s storms
Ahead of the front, South Florida will see breezy south-southwest winds and sunshine Monday, with highs in the mid-to-upper 80s. But by Tuesday afternoon, widespread showers and thunderstorms are expected to sweep through the area.
Whether or not flash flooding fully materializes will depend on the development of the East Coast seabreeze, which could stall storms over the metro areas. If that happens, rainfall totals could climb as high as five inches in some isolated spots.
By Wednesday, the front will clear the region, leaving behind only scattered showers. Thursday and Friday will bring drier weather as leftover moisture begins to exit the area.
Looking ahead to the weekend, a second, late-season cold front is forecast to move in, delivering unseasonably dry and cool air to South Florida. Highs will fall into the low 80s, while overnight lows could dip into the 60s—and even the 50s in some inland spots Sunday morning.
“This weekend is going to be absolutely beautiful,” Cabrera said. “We’re talking sunshine, low humidity and cool mornings, really picture-perfect spring weather.”
