'Bullseye on Southwest Florida': Flood watch issued as storms roll across state (2024)

As promised, tropical moisture is moving north into the Florida peninsula, bringing rain to drought-stricken areas.

So much rain, some areas were under a flood watch Tuesday morning, and more rain is expected today and throughout the remainder of the week.

The National Hurricane Center's 8 a.m. tropical outlook now has the system on its map, with a 20 percent chance for development.

Forecasts call for the hardest hit areas to be across Southwest and South Florida, with predictions going all the way up to 15 to 20 inches during the week. AccuWeather warned some areas could see almost 2 feet of rain, 22 inches.

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➤Excessive rainfall forecast

“The bullseye is on Southwest Florida along the Gulf Coast,” said AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno.

'Bullseye on Southwest Florida': Flood watch issued as storms roll across state (1)

"Severe weather will be limited. The big threat is going to be flooding. Warm air at the surface and cold air aloft makes for a very unstable atmosphere. With a dip in the jet stream this far south, it’s going to pull a lot of tropical moisture north into Florida."

"We are concerned about a 'wall of rain' inundating Florida this week," said AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok. "While we can’t rule out an organized tropical depression or storm, the impact will be similar due to the rounds of tropical downpours."

Weather alerts issued in Florida

Weather radar and forecast for West Palm Beach

Flood watch: A flood watch is in effect for Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Broward counties through Wednesday evening.

Enhanced tropical moisture is expected to pool across South Florida beginning Tuesday. This will result in periods of heavy rain. High rainfall rates and slow moving storms will result in flooding concerns, especially in urban and poor drainage locations. Rainfall totals from Tuesday morning through Wednesday evening are forecast to be 2-5 inches over the East Coast metro, with locally higher amounts possible. Additional heavy rain is possible later in the week.

➤ Heavy rainfall expected in South Florida with up to a foot of rain in some areas through Saturday

Today:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 84. Breezy, with a south wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Wednesday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 83. Breezy, with a south wind around 18 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Thursday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 82. South wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Friday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 p.m., then showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. High near 81. South wind 9 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

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Weather radar and forecast for Naples

Flood watch: A flood watch is in effect for Collier County through Wednesday evening. Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.

Rainfall totals from Tuesday morning through Wednesday evening are forecast to be 6-9 inches across Southwest Florida and the Lake Okeechobee region, with locally higher amounts possible.

➤ Collier County preparing for heavy rain and potential flooding this week

Today:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 86. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.
Wednesday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 87. Heat index values as high as 101. South wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Thursday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 p.m., then showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. High near 86. South wind 9 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Friday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 p.m, then showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. High near 85. Southeast wind 6 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

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Weather radar and forecast for Fort Myers

Flood advisory: A flood advisory has been issued until 11:45 a.m. for Lee County. At 8:34 a.m., Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen.

Weather radar and forecast for Sarasota

➤ Drought relief? Sarasota-Manatee could see 8-10 inches of rain over the next five days

➤ Tropical system to impact Sarasota-Manatee, bringing heavy rain

Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 83. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible.
Wednesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 83. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 84. South southwest wind 10 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 84. East southeast wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

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Weather radar and forecast for Daytona Beach

Rounds of showers with embedded lightning storms capable of occasional cloud to ground lightning and locally heavy downpours will continue today and tonight. Stronger storms that could produce gusty winds to 40 mph and a quick 1 to 2 inches of rainfall in an hour will be possible in the afternoon and evening.

Today:Showers and thunderstorms likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. High near 85. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday:Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 11 a.m. High near 85. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Thursday:Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 11 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east northeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday:Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east northeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

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Weather radar and forecast for Melbourne

Rounds of heavy showers and storms will be capable of widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches, and locally high rainfall amounts of 4 inches or more, especially across the south, which could lead to minor nuisance flooding.

Stronger storms that could produce gusty winds to 40 mph and a quick 1 to 2 inches of rainfall in an hour will be possible in the afternoon and evening.

Repeated rounds of heavy rain may lead to localized flooding, especially mid to late week.

Today:A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 7 a.m. High near 85. South southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 85. South southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Thursday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 86. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday:A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 8 a.m. High near 85. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

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Weather radar and forecast for Port St. Lucie

Stronger storms that could produce gusty winds to 40 mph and a quick 1 to 2 inches of rainfall in an hour will be possible in the afternoon and evening.

Repeated rounds of heavy rain may lead to localized flooding, especially mid to late week.

Today:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 84. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Wednesday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 85. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Thursday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 85. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Friday:Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 83. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

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Weather radar and forecast for Pensacola

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 90. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 90. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

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Weather radar and forecast for Tallahassee

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Partly sunny and hot, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming north northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 103. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 8 a.m. Sunny, with a high near 93. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Sunny and hot, with a high near 96.

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Weather radar and forecast for Jacksonville

Today: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Southwest wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 17 mph.
Wednesday: A chance of showers before 11 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 6 to 11 mph becoming east in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Northeast wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.

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'Bullseye on Southwest Florida': Flood watch issued as storms roll across state (2024)

Weather alerts issued in Florida

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