A flood watch is in effect for parts of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties through Tuesday evening as a late season cold front is expected to bring days of rainfall to South Florida.
“Our team of forecasters expects 1-2 inches of rain along the Florida Atlantic coast and across much of South Florida from Monday to Thursday, which will be good news for areas under severe to extreme drought,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson in a Monday morning forecast. “However, some locations could see repeating thunderstorms deliver 4-6 inches of rain, which may lead to flooding in poor drainage areas.”
The flood watch is in effect for the east coast metro, according to the National Weather Service’s website, which was updated on April 7. A widespread 1-3 inches of rain are expected, with “localized amounts” of 4-6 inches possible.
Who’s at risk of flooding?
The site adds that heavy rain could lead to the flooding of “low-lying areas, creeks,” places with poor drainage and “urban areas.”
Specific cities named by the NWS in its flood watch, issued April 6, include Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar, Miami, Hialeah, Boca Raton, Jupiter and Kendall, among others.
What’s the weather in Miami?
The National Weather Service forecasts hazardous weather conditions, with a flood watch in effect for coastal Miami-Dade County and metropolitan Miami-Dade from 2 a.m. to 10 p.m. on April 7. A rip current statement is also in effect for coastal Miami-Dade County from today at 8 p.m. until April 9 at 8 p.m.
Showers and thunderstorms are likely, according to the NWS’s website, with a possible thunderstorm expected after 5 p.m. New rainfall amounts could reach between three quarters and one inch.
What’s the weather in Fort Lauderdale?
A rip current statement is in effect for coastal Broward County from April 7, starting 8 p.m. and lasting until April 9 at 8 p.m., according to the NWS. A flood watch is in effect for coastal Broward County as well, from 2 a.m. on April 7 until 10 p.m.
Fort Lauderdale is also likely to experience showers and thunderstorms, with a thunderstorm possible after 4 p.m. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch are possible.
Could heavy rains help with Florida drought, Hilux fire?
The rainfall could prove positive for much of the state, which is suffering from varying levels of drought, according to Brett Anderson, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather. The majority of the state – 79% – is experiencing two of the highest levels of drought, extreme and exceptional.
The rain could also help dampen the Hilux fire, which has grown to 511 acres in Big Cypress National Park and is 0% contained, and is burning 5 miles from Miles City.
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
