Current Weather Outlook
Statewide weather outlook from Florida Division of Emergency Management Meteorology
Wednesday January 14, 2026
...Dense Fog this Morning Across South Florida...More Active Weather Day With Increased Shower Activity Statewide...Next Cold Front Approaching Helping to Create Shower Activity...More Scattered Showers Possible Overnight Across the Peninsula...Cooler Air and Breezier Winds Rush In Behind Cold Front Tonight Across Panhandle...Gusts Peaking Near 15-25 MPH, Closer to 30-35 MPH Possible for Coastal Waters...Sub-Freezing Temperatures Expected for the Western Panhandle Tonight...Feels-Like Temperatures In the 20s and 30s Across Panhandle and Western Big Bend...Moderate to High Risk for Rip Currents Along Panhandle, East Coast and Southwest Florida Today...
Updated at 9:15 AM EST
Today's Threats:
|
No Threat |
Low Threat |
Medium Threat |
High Threat |
|
Lightning |
Tornado |
Damaging Wind/Hail |
Wildfire |
Fog (Overnight) |
Freeze (Overnight) |
Wind Chill (Overnight) |
Rip Currents |
| Iso. Southeast Florida Coast |
Locally Statewide |
Western Panhandle Eastern Panhandle |
Panhandle Western Big Bend |
E. Panhandle & Southwest FL E. Big Bend & East Coast First & West Coasts |
Weather Summary for the Next 24 Hours:
Dense Fog has developed this morning throughout interior South Florida prompting Dense Fog Advisories until 9:00 AM EST for reduced visibilities of ¼ of a mile or less. A more active weather pattern returns across the state today as an approaching cold front will pull enough moisture to bring isolated to widely scattered showers throughout North and Central Florida during the daytime hours (20-40% chance of rain). Further to the south, the lingering frontal boundary that has been there for the last few days along the Straits will lift slightly northward increasing shower coverage across South Florida and along the Atlantic Coast (20-40% chance of rain). With enough heating there may be a chance for an isolated rumble of thunder along the Southeast Florida coastline or over the adjacent coastal waters near the Gulf Stream. A mixture of sunshine and cloud cover can be expected throughout the state during the daytime hours.
High temperatures will reach the lower 60s across North Florida, upper 60s to lower 70s across Central Florida and middle 70s to near 80-degrees across South Florida this afternoon.
Rain chances will gradually decrease across the Panhandle and Big Bend this evening and the overnight as the cold front pushes through. Enough moisture will be pulled from the adjacent gulf waters across the West Coast and the Peninsula giving way to more scattered to widespread shower activity overnight (50-80% chance of rain). Behind the passing cold front, breezy winds will sweep in across the Panhandle and Big Bend during the early morning hours on Thursday with wind gusts reaching upwards of 15-25 mph with stronger wind gusts of 30-35 mph closer towards the coasts and the coastal waters.
Colder air will begin to race in behind the cold front tonight across the western Panhandle dropping temperatures into the lower to middle 30s while the rest of North Florida reaching the upper 30s to middle 40s. With the breezy winds developing early Thursday morning, feels-like temperatures will be in the middle to upper 20s along the Panhandle and lower to middle 30s across the western Big Bend. Central Florida will see low temperatures in the lower to middle 50s. South Florida will see low temperatures in the upper 50s to middle 60s.
Rip Currents: Westerly to northwesterly winds will continue to create a moderate to high risk for rip currents along the Panhandle and Southwest Florida beaches. Numerous East Coast beaches can expect a moderate risk for rip currents to persist after large ocean swells lingering along the coastline. For the latest Rip Current Outlook, visit www.weather.gov/beach.
Marine Hazards: Wave heights of 1-3’ can be expected statewide today. An isolated breaking wave offshore from the eastern Panhandle could reach upwards of 4’ later this afternoon. Ocean swells along the Panhandle and West Coast will grow overnight to reach 3-5’.
Red Tide was observed at background to high concentrations in Bay County and background to very low concentrations in Gulf County along the Panhandle. It was also observed at background to very low concentrations in Charlotte County in Southwest Florida. Red Tide was not observed along the Florida East Coast (valid 1/9/2026).
Coastal Flooding: There is no risk for coastal flooding across Florida.
Fire Weather: Moisture ahead of an approaching cold front will bring isolated to widely scattered showers across much of North and Central Florida during the daytime hours. Later this evening and overnight, more scattered activity can be expected along the West Coast as the system pulls moisture from the gulf waters. Relative humidity values will remain above critical thresholds throughout the state given the uptick in moisture. Wind gusts upwards of 15 mph will gradually develop throughout the day and expand statewide by the late afternoon hours. Due to the ongoing drought conditions and lack of rainfall recently, sensitive wildfire conditions will persist across the state. According to the Florida Forest Service, there are 31 active wildfires across the state burning approximately 456 acres.
Drought (1/8/26): Some beneficial rainfall fell across North Florida this past weekend, bringing widespread 1-2” totals to the Panhandle and Big Bend. However, very little change was made to this weeks Drought Monitor outlook due to long-term drought and above normal temperatures keeping drought in place. Short-term rainfall departures are all below normal across the entire state, with the largest deficits (2-4”) over the western Panhandle. Here, moderate drought (level 1 of 4) remains, with severe (level 2 of 4) to extreme drought (level 3 of 4) persisting over the interior eastern Panhandle and Big Bend. Severe drought (level 2 of 4) also remains in place across the Suwannee River Valley where streamflows are well below normal. Some of the biggest changes in recent outlooks has been across West-Central and South Florida where long-term rainfall departures have reached 4-6” in many locations. The severe drought (level 2 of 4) has expanded further south along the Gulf coast to include all of Charlotte and Lee counties, and westward to interior Glades and Hendry counties. Expansion of moderate drought (level 1 of 4) was also added across coastal Southeast Florida. Nearly 87% of the state of Florida is now under a moderate drought (level 1 of 4) or worse. Our next chance for rainfall returns this weekend; however, rainfall totals do not appear substantial enough to allow for category improvements.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida is 481 (+1) on a scale from 0 (very wet) to 800 (very dry). There are 32 Florida counties that have an average KBDI above 500 (drought/increased fire danger).
Flash Flooding: There is no risk for flash flooding today. Isolated to scattered showers will move across North and Central Florida today ahead of a cold front; however, drier conditions will limit the amount of rainfall received. Rainfall totals will remain near 0.1-0.5”, with the greatest totals along the West Coast possibly reaching upwards of 1-1.5” locally. Some nuisance ponding of water cannot be ruled out within any locally heavier rainfall or repeated shower activity over urban areas.
Riverine Flooding: There are no riverine concerns across Florida. For more information, visit the River Forecast Center.
Lake Okeechobee’s average elevation is 13.19 feet, which is within the operational band and is 1.52 feet below normal for this time of year.
