Dangerous Rip Currents Along All East Coast Beaches...Mostly Dry Conditions Across the State Today...Only A Few Showers Are Likely to Develop in Southeast Florida Today...The Tropics Remain Active with major Hurricane Earl, Tropical Storm Fiona, Tropical Storm Gaston and a virogous tropical wave off the African coast...

Large ocean swells and breaking waves up to 10 feet in the wake of major Hurricane Earl will bring another day with a very high risk of dangerous rip currents for all beaches along the Florida’s Atlantic coast. The beaches across the Western Panhandle are a moderate risk, and all beaches from the Eastern Panhandle through the Peninsula Gulf Coast have a low risk of rip currents today.You can view a rip current forecast for your local beach by clicking here.

The weather pattern will remain very similar to yesterday as a high pressure system sits over the region. The subsiding nature of the high pressure system will inhibit shower development across much of the state, and all areas have less than a 20% chance of rain today.

A few showers have developed early this morning along the Florida Straits and very scattered showers have developed offshore of the Peninsula east coast in the broad circulation round Hurricane Earl. These showers have the potential to affect isolated areas along the Florida Keys, as well as some areas in coastal Northeast, East Central, and Southeast Florida this morning. Southeast Florida is the area most likely to see a stray shower or two throughout the day today, although any shower that does develop will be very small and short-lived. Overall, most areas across the state will not see any rainfall and can expect mostly sunny skies today.

Major Hurricane Earl has increased to Category 4 strength with maximum sustained winds near 145mph. Earl made its closest approach to the Florida coastline this morning and is now on its way northward, away from the area, and the center of Earl is expected to pass dangerously close to the Outer Banks, North Carolina sometime tonight. Earl will then begin to weaken as it moves northeastward offshore the eastern U.S. coastline.

Tropical Storm Fiona currently has maximum sustained winds near 50mph. Fiona is not expected to gain much more strength over the next few days and is not expected to reach hurricane intensity. Fiona is expected to pass just west of Bermuda on Saturday.

The vigorous tropical wave in the central tropical Atlantic became Tropical Storm Gaston yesterday afternoon and currently has maximum sustained winds near 40mph. Gaston is expected to continue moving towards the west for the next few days and approach the Leeward Islands sometime next week. Gaston has the potential to strengthen and may become a hurricane late this weekend.

A strong tropical wave that recently emerged off the west coast of Africa has a 10% chance of developing by Saturday morning. However, conditions are favorable for slow development after that as the system moves westward through the tropical Atlantic.

Click here for the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center.