658 FXUS62 KMFL 171105 AFDMFLArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Miami FL 705 AM EDT Wed Sep 17 2025
...New AVIATION...
.SHORT TERM... (Today through Thursday) Issued at 1258 AM EDT Wed Sep 17 2025
The dawn of a more active pattern begins across South Florida as the combination of deep layer moisture, a transient mid-level vort max, and the strengthening of a nearby upper level jet-streak set the stage for enhanced showers and thunderstorm activity across South Florida today and tonight. 05z Mesoanalysis highlights this well as precipitable water values continues to trend up on ACARS (aircraft data) from our local SoFlo airports with KAMX and KBYX radars picking up an increasing amount of activity over the nearshore waters. However before we take a deep dive into all of the ingredients and impacts, it`s important to mention that there still remains some uncertainty on exactly how today will play out. Overnight mesoscale models indicate that convection will continue to fire up over the Florida Keys and our nearshore waters over the next several hours with a large amount of upper level cloud cover being lofted northwards into South Florida via the sub-tropical jet- stream. At the same time, forecast model soundings still show some residual dry air aloft during the morning hours of today. This may result in an initial delay in widespread heaviest rain occurring across South Florida, with an onset of the heaviest rainfall during the second half of the day continuing into tonight. However even with abundant cloud cover aloft, diurnal heating should result in the eventual beginning of widespread land-based shower and storm activity during the afternoon hours. Outside of the heavy rainfall threat we will discuss in great detail below, storms today could also produce gusty winds and excessive lightning. Now let`s get back to the deep dive on today`s setup and then segway into what may transpire on Thursday.
The cut-off low that has remained stationary across the southeastern United States will begin a slow acceleration to the northeast today, with the development and strengthening of an upper level jet streak across the Gulf, north and central Florida, and the western Atlantic waters. Our placement in the right entrance region of this jet streak will facilitate divergence aloft and low level convergence at the surface. However that is just one piece of the bigger picture as a lobe of mid-level vorticity (vort max) lifts northward from the Caribbean later today. However, our most important ingredient will be the continued progression of deeper layer moisture into the region associated with a frontal boundary making a return to the region. Forecast precipitable water values increase to the 2.1 to 2.3 range today (which is now over the 90th percentile for the date). The combination of aided ascent, deep layer moisture, and a stalled frontal boundary will set the stage for a more active pattern both during the day and overnight. A saturated atmosphere brings an increased threat of heavy rainfall that could result in accumulations adding up over a short period of time. Although there still remains uncertainty on exact onset timing as well as where the greatest rainfall totals will fall today (just offshore or directly over the east coast metro), the atmosphere is definitely primed for bursts of heavy rainfall in a very short time. The Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has maintained a Marginal Risk (level 1 of 4) of excessive flooding for the east coast metro of South Florida today. This means that there is a 5-15% chance of excessive rainfall that may lead to flash flooding within a 25 mile radius of a location. High temperatures will trend lower lower today due to abundant cloud cover and the cooling influences of showers and storms, forecasted highs area-wide will be in the middle to upper 80s.
With the background environment increasingly conducive for heavy rainfall, the main driving force behind rainfall accumulations will continue to be the coverage and storm motion of showers and storms across the region Wednesday night into Thursday. Overnight model guidance continues to hone in on this time period being the day with the greatest potential of seeing higher end QPF values as the aforementioned jet-streak nearby and the stalled boundary directly overhead act to provide favorable conditions for numerous showers and storms. The deterministic GFS and Euro continue to hint at a lobe of mid-level vorticity pivoting across South Florida late today into Thursday with forecasted precipitable water values potentially increasing to the 2.2 to 2.4 range which would be very close to the daily max value for the date. Forecast model soundings during this time frame continue to depict a classic skinny CAPE profile that points to the potential of efficient rainfall rates that could lead to localized flooding concerns over urban metro areas. Coastal convergence along the coast may maximize rainfall totals along a corridor confined to the immediate east coast overnight. The Weather Prediction Center also maintains a marginal risk of excessive rainfall for the east coast of South Florida on Thursday. With the abundance of convective activity and resultant cloud debris, high temperatures may be held in check once again on Thursday with forecast highs in the mid to upper 80s.
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.LONG TERM... (Thursday night through Tuesday) Issued at 1258 AM EDT Wed Sep 17 2025
As the mid-level vort max and deepest atmospheric moisture pivot northeast away from South Florida in tandem with the departing cut- off low, residual moisture is forecast to remain draped across the eastern half of our region on Friday. While precipitable water values will begin to trend down, enough moisture will remain to support the potential of scattered to numerous afternoon showers and storms across the region. The Weather Prediction Center maintains a Marginal Risk (level 1 of 4) of excessive rainfall for the east coast metro of South Florida on Friday. With cloud cover lessening across the region, high temperatures will trend back to climatological norms, with forecasted high temps in the upper 80s to low 90s.
Models have come into better agreement showing surface cyclogenesis occurring in the western Atlantic waters along the stalled frontal boundary during the day on Saturday. Cyclonic flow around this developing feature may result in the potential of drier air moving southward across the peninsula which may limit rain chances during the weekend as opposed to the mid to late work week. Uncertainty remains regarding this solution however, and forecast rainfall chances on Saturday and Sunday currently remain near climatological norms in the 50-60% range. The lessening of mid-level flow aloft will once again result in sea-breeze circulations remaining the main foci of diurnal convection each afternoon and evening which will likely focus the greatest convective chances across interior areas each afternoon during the weekend. High temperatures over the weekend will remain near climatological norms in the upper 80s to low 90s.
After persistent troughing across the region for what has felt like weeks, model guidance hints of the potential of brief mid-level ridging occurring during the early portion of next week. If this indeed pans out, this could result in lower rain chances across South Florida coupled with high temperatures slightly above climatological norms.
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.AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 703 AM EDT Wed Sep 17 2025
ENE winds 5-10 kts today with Scattered to broken MVFR ceilings prevailing. Scattered thunderstorms increasing in coverage this afternoon into early evening which may result in brief flight restrictions and erratic winds.
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.MARINE... Issued at 1258 AM EDT Wed Sep 17 2025
A moderate east-northeasterly breeze will enhance later today and continue into the late week period. Seas across the Atlantic waters will generally remain between 2 to 5 feet through Thursday morning while seas across the Gulf waters remain at 1 to 2 feet. Periods of rough seas and gusty winds will be possible each day near the most robust shower and thunderstorm activity.
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.BEACHES... Issued at 1258 AM EDT Wed Sep 17 2025
A high risk of rip currents will continue along the Palm Beach County beaches today as onshore flow enhances this afternoon and a northeasterly swell in the Atlantic waters lingers. A moderate risk of rip currents will continue at Broward and Miami-Dade County beaches. As east-northeasterly winds continue through late this week, the elevated risk of rip currents is forecast to remain along the east coast.
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.HYDROLOGY... Issued at 1258 AM EDT Wed Sep 17 2025
The Weather Prediction Center`s latest 5 Day Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF) has trended slightly lower in overall rainfall totals over the last 24 hours. Widespread amounts of 1-3 inches are now forecast for the immediate east coast of South Florida through Sunday night. However, an important point to make is that these forecasted values are indeed widespread values. Similar to the pattern last week, sharp rainfall gradients may materialize with problematic pockets of higher rainfall totals resulting in the potential of localized urban flooding along the east coast metro. While the overall forecasted rainfall totals may continue to shift over the next several days, the main takeaway is that saturated soils over the east coast could result in a heightened urban flood threat across the east coast metro particularly today through Friday.
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.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Miami 86 76 85 77 / 80 80 80 50 West Kendall 86 75 86 75 / 80 70 80 50 Opa-Locka 87 76 87 76 / 80 70 80 50 Homestead 86 75 85 75 / 80 80 80 50 Fort Lauderdale 86 76 85 76 / 80 80 80 50 N Ft Lauderdale 86 76 85 77 / 80 70 80 50 Pembroke Pines 88 76 88 76 / 80 70 80 50 West Palm Beach 85 75 85 75 / 70 70 70 50 Boca Raton 87 75 87 75 / 70 70 80 50 Naples 87 75 90 74 / 70 50 70 30
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.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...High Rip Current Risk through Thursday evening for FLZ168.
AM...None. GM...None. &&
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SHORT TERM...Hadi LONG TERM....Hadi AVIATION...CMF
NWS MFL Office Area Forecast Discussion