565 FXUS62 KMFL 130439 AFDMFLArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Miami FL 1239 AM EDT Sat Sep 13 2025
...New SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, AVIATION, MARINE, BEACHES...
.KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1235 AM EDT Sat Sep 13 2025
- Heavy rainfall over saturated locales today may result in additional isolated urban flooding concerns.
- Minor coastal flooding is possible between 1.5 to 2 hours of high tide along the east coast of South Florida.
- Frequent to excessive cloud to ground lightning is possible with the strongest storms today. When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors.
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.SHORT TERM... (Today through Sunday) Issued at 1235 AM EDT Sat Sep 13 2025
4z RTMA analysis this morning indicates much of the same as a saturated atmospheric profile combined with synoptic influences result in a continued active weather regime for our area. Mesoanalysis early this morning depicts the mid-level shortwave still present in the 500mb layer with southwesterly 500mb flow still advecting a moist mid-level airmass from the Caribbean into the region. A colder pool of air aloft still remains in place with current 500mb temperatures in the -7C to -8C range. A weak surface frontal boundary also remains in place across the southern extent of our region with light northerly flow prevailing, veering slightly more onshore along both coasts. The atmosphere remains quite saturated with recent ACARS and 00z MFL upper air soundings depicting a classic skinny CAPE profile with little dry air from the surface all the way up to 300mb. Winds along the immediate east coast are converging (light northeasterly off the ocean, more of a westerly flow component from the land) which may result in an end to the nice lull in overland activity we are seeing on radar at the moment as coastal convergence could allow for activity to flare up during the late overnight hours along or just offshore of the east coast over the warm and unstable Gulfstream waters. The latest mesoscale models lean more towards the latter scenario, but this will be something we will continue to monitor through the remainder of the early to mid morning hours.
Technical ingredients out of the way, the bottom line is that today will serve as the transition between the ongoing active wet period we have seen over the last week and a period of drier weather for South Florida beginning during the second half of the weekend. While the threat of heavy rainfall and localized flooding will be slightly lower today compared to the last several days, saturated soils from a rinse and repeat pattern combined with slow storm motion may result in one or two pockets of localized flooding both with potential early to mid morning activity and a second round of diurnal convection this afternoon. While widespread rainfall amounts today are forecast in the 0.5 to 1 inch range, reasonable worst case rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches of rainfall remain possible in isolated areas. If these totals occur over the urban metro, additional localized flooding concerns may materialize. Although localized flooding will be our main concern, the cooler temperatures aloft will set the stage for frequent to excessive cloud to ground lightning with the most robust storms this afternoon. Wet microbursts may also result in wind gusts up to 40 mph in the strongest storms this afternoon.
With the advection of the axis of expansive mid-level troughing to the east of the region on Sunday combined with the weak frontal boundary sliding further south into the Florida Keys, shower and thunderstorm activity will trend lower as the most favorable parameters for storm activity also push further south and east. However, moisture on the north side of the boundary will still be conducive enough for afternoon showers and storms just not on the robust and widespread scale we have been used to seeing over the last several days. High temperatures will trend higher on Sunday due to the lower coverage of convection and cloud debris, with forecasted high temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s region wide.
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.LONG TERM... (Sunday night through Friday) Issued at 1235 AM EDT Sat Sep 13 2025
Model guidance continues to depict the current mid-level trough slowing down with a piece of mid-level energy remaining behind and becoming a cut off low just offshore or along the southeastern United States coast early next week. Blocked by mid-level ridging to the east over the western Atlantic waters, the cut-off low will remain in place over the southeastern United States coastline through the mid work-week period before drifting northeastward out ahead of the next longwave trough. At the surface, cyclogenesis will try to take place as a very broad area of low pressure tries to develop in the Atlantic offshore of the Georgia/Northern Florida coastline during the Monday/Tuesday timeframe. The placement of this surface low may help to drag in some reinforcing drier air into South Florida from the north. Similar to last night`s thinking, uncertainty remains a bit higher for this part of the forecast as the guidance still remains in disagreement with exactly how far south the drier air is able to push with the frontal boundary remaining stalled out over the Straits. While there will still be enough moisture in place to support daily convection chances, coverage will not be as high is it has been over the past couple o days. During this early to mid week timeframe, the highest daily rain chances will remain across our southern locales with the greatest timing of activity coinciding with the afternoon hours as sea-breeze boundaries move inland and collide.
Moving towards the middle to late portion of the work week, uncertainty rises in the forecast even further as some of the longer term guidance is suggesting that what is left of that frontal boundary stalled out in the Straits gets dragged back up to the north over the region and deep layer moisture advection increases once again. Guidance does remain in disagreement in regards to what is actually left of the front and how far north it actually makes it. However, as easterly wind flow increases along with the possibility of deep layer moisture moving back into portions of the region, the latest forecast continues to take a blend of the model guidance and increases the chances of showers and storms area wide during this time frame. High temperatures during the middle of the week will continue to remain around climatological normals and will rise into the upper 80s to around 90.
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.AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1235 AM EDT Sat Sep 13 2025
Light and variable winds this morning will veer onshore by the early afternoon hours becoming NErly at east coast terminals and NWrly at KAPF. Some uncertainty regarding remainder of the overnight period with a signal of SHRA/TSRA developing near or just offshore of east coast terminals. Higher confidence for afternoon SHRA/TSRA that may bring sub-MVFR cigs and vis at any terminal impact along with erratic wind shifts.
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.MARINE... Issued at 1235 AM EDT Sat Sep 13 2025
A gentle to moderate north to northeasterly breeze will continue across most of the local waters into early next week. Seas across the Atlantic waters will generally remain between 2 to 4 feet through early next week while seas across the Gulf waters remain at 1 to 3 feet. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms will be possible across the local waters today before decreasing in coverage beginning on Sunday. Periods of rough seas and gusty winds will be possible each day near the stronger thunderstorms.
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.BEACHES... Issued at 1235 AM EDT Sat Sep 13 2025
Minor coastal flooding is possible along the east coast of South Florida today within 1.5 to 2 hours of high tide. A Coastal Flood Statement remains in effect until 4pm this afternoon. A moderate risk of rip currents will remain in place across the Palm Beaches through the rest of the weekend as onshore flow continues and a northeasterly swell in the Atlantic waters lingers.
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.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Miami 74 89 76 90 / 40 40 30 40 West Kendall 72 89 73 90 / 30 40 20 40 Opa-Locka 74 90 75 91 / 30 40 20 40 Homestead 73 89 74 89 / 40 40 30 40 Fort Lauderdale 74 89 76 89 / 40 30 30 40 N Ft Lauderdale 74 89 76 90 / 30 30 20 40 Pembroke Pines 74 91 75 92 / 30 40 20 40 West Palm Beach 74 89 74 89 / 30 30 20 30 Boca Raton 74 90 74 91 / 30 30 20 30 Naples 73 89 74 90 / 30 30 20 30
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.MFL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FL...None. AM...None. GM...None. &&
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SHORT TERM...Hadi LONG TERM....Hadi AVIATION...Hadi
NWS MFL Office Area Forecast Discussion