Heavy rain, coastal flooding expected for Florida this weekend
Multiple rounds of rain and coastal flooding are expected for the east coast of Florida this weekend and into Monday.
Coastal Flood Alerts are up along the east coast of Florida up to parts of coastal Georgia for minor coastal flooding, with 1 to 2 feet of inundation possible during high tide.
This is from funneled offshore winds from both the stalled front and a high pressure system over the Northeast.
A Flood Watch is in effect for the coast of east-central Florida from Jupiter Island up to Daytona Beach until Sunday morning for widespread rain up to 1 to 3 inches along the coast, with locally higher totals up to 5 to 6 inches possible.
While this will be the area that likely sees the highest flood threat Saturday through the weekend, an isolated flood threat -- Level 1 of 4 -- will remain over much of the east coast of Florida through Monday.
Some showers and thunderstorms are also possible for other parts of the Gulf Coast through this weekend, with some flooding downpours possible for New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama.
The lingering coastal flooding from the stalled front will also likely compound on the expected rain this weekend for the Florida coast, exacerbating the flood threat for coastal areas during high tides.
This stalled front over the Florida Peninsula had a low chance of developing a tropical disturbance but high wind shear will prevent any further development from happening.
Regardless of development, this area of disturbed weather will bring scattered showers and thunderstorms for the Florida Peninsula for the next few days as it slowly drifts northwest into the Gulf.
Meanwhile, a tropical wave emerging off the coast of Africa will have a moderate chance of developing into a tropical disturbance next week, with a 50% chance of development over the next seven days.
Some nearby dry air and wind shear ahead of the tropical wave -- ingredients which hinder tropical development -- will keep it from developing into a tropical system over the weekend into next week. Conditions could become better for the tropical wave next week to develop the next tropical system of the season, but this is not guaranteed. If it forms into anything, weather models right now suggest that it would follow a similar path to Gabrielle.
Since it has not formed into a tropical system yet and is still very far out in the Atlantic, it is too soon to talk about the forecasted track and potential impacts, if any.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially ends on Nov. 30.
