Current Weather Outlook
Statewide weather outlook from Florida Division of Emergency Management Meteorology
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
...Foggy Conditions and Low Clouds Throughout the State this AM...Pleasant Day Expected With Mostly Sunny to Partly Cloudy Skies...Few Brief Showers This Afternoon Along Eastern Coastline and Into South Florida; Embedded Thunderstorm Closer Towards the Southeast Florida Coastal Waters...Warm Temperatures This Afternoon...Lingering Shower or Two Near Atlantic Waters...Widespread Fog Possible Wednesday Morning Throughout North and Central Florida; Locally Dense Fog Possible...Nearly All Atlantic Beaches Will See a High Risk for Rip Currents...
Updated at 8:11 AM EST
Today's Threats:
|
No Threat |
Low Threat |
Medium Threat |
High Threat |
|
Lightning |
Tornado |
Damaging Wind/Hail |
Wildfire |
Freeze (Overnight) |
Flash Flooding |
Fog (Overnight) |
Rip Currents |
|
Locally Southwest Florida South Florida |
|
Iso. South Florida |
Locally Interior Bend Bend & South FL Statewide |
Iso Southwest Florida |
I-10 Corridor Northern Florida |
Southeast Florida East Coast & Panhandle West Coast |
Weather Summary for the Next 24 Hours:
Foggy conditions and low clouds throughout the state this morning will continue to gradually lift and dissipate with the rising sun. A near-repeat of yesterday can be expected as high pressure over the southeastern U.S. will create mostly dry conditions throughout the day. Breezy onshore winds and low-level moisture will help to bring a few showers onshore along the eastern coastline this afternoon and evening (15-25% chance of rain). These showers will likely be briefer in nature and light compared to yesterday. Thunderstorm activity will also be much more limited today with a chance for an embedded thunderstorm near the Southeast Florida coastline and its adjacent coastal waters. Low-level moisture across the state will help to keep relative humidity values above critical thresholds this afternoon, with the driest conditions across the interior Big Bend and Suwannee Valley. An uptick in winds can be expected throughout the day as wind gusts will reach upwards of 15-20 mph, with the strongest gusts along the eastern half of the state.
High temperatures will reach the middle 70s to middle 80s throughout the state this afternoon creating a warm day.
Any shower activity that does manage to develop this afternoon should quickly dissipate this evening or shift offshore towards the Atlantic waters. As onshore winds continue, a few brief showers may also continue near the coastline overnight (15-25% chance of rain). Low-level moisture and calm winds throughout North and Central Florida will lead to widespread fog developing by early Wednesday morning, with instances of locally dense fog possible. Foggy conditions and low clouds can further reduce visibilities where there are ongoing wildfires.
Low temperatures will fall into the middle to upper 50s across North Florida, lower to middle 60s across Central Florida and upper 60s to lower 70s across South Florida overnight.
Rip Currents: Breezy onshore winds along the Florida East Coast will create a high risk for rip currents along numerous beaches. Most North Florida beaches can expect a moderate risk. For the latest Rip Current Outlook, visit www.weather.gov/beach.
Marine Hazards: Onshore winds will push ocean swells of 3-4’ towards the Florida East Coast today, and through the Atlantic-facing Key beaches. Majority of the Gulf and West Coast can expect wave heights near 1-2’ with the Panhandle reaching upwards of 3’ later this afternoon.
Red Tide was observed at background conditions in two samples from Bay County. It was not observed along the Florida East Coast or Southwest Florida (valid 2/27/2026).
Coastal Flooding: There is no risk for coastal flooding today.
Fire Weather: Foggy conditions and low clouds have developed throughout the state this morning, but should continue to lift and dissipate throughout the morning hours. Low-level moisture and onshore winds will help to keep relative humidity values above critical thresholds across the state today, with the drier conditions across interior North Florida. Winds will generally remain light today near 5-10 mph, with stronger winds upwards of 15 mph along the immediate Florida East Coast. Wind gusts will be very similar reaching near 15-20 mph across the state with the strongest gusts along the eastern half of the Peninsula. Another round of patchy to widespread fog will be possible throughout North and Central Florida early Wednesday morning, with instances of locally dense fog possible. Foggy conditions and low clouds will further reduce visibilities where there are ongoing wildfires. According to the Florida Forest Service, there are 48 active wildfires across the state burning approximately 1,506 acres.
Drought (2/26/26): Showers bypassed many areas of the Southeast United States, leading to slowly worsening drought conditions on this week’s Drought Monitor update. The recent uptick in wildfires across Northeast Florida and the Florida Peninsula are a result of increasing both near-term and long-term rainfall deficits throughout the Sunshine State, and are truly indicative of how dry Florida’s soil and fuel/vegetation is nearly statewide. 90-day rainfall totals have now trended 5-7” below normal for this time of year across North and Southeast Florida, with rainfall deficits of 2-4” below normal noted elsewhere across the state. Extreme drought (level 3 of 4) areas have expanded across North Florida and into the Florida Panhandle, now stretching from coastal Walton County to Volusia County; extreme drought (level 3 of 4) persists south of the I-4 corridor across the southern Florida Peninsula. Other changes to note include the upgrade of all remaining areas of Abnormally Dry (emerging drought) conditions into moderate drought (level 1 of 4), this now brings100% of land area across Florida within a category of drought. Rainfall forecast over the next 7 days will certainly be beneficial for North and Central Florida; however, any observed rainfall has quite an uphill battle against the long-term drought. Unfortunately, rainfall totals remain sparse to widely isolated throughout the southern Florida Peninsula as frontal systems will not be able to remain intact as it advances through the state.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida is 470 (+3) on a scale from 0 (very wet) to 800 (very dry). There are 30 Florida counties that have an average KBDI above 500 (drought/increased fire danger).
Flash Flooding: There is no organized risk for flash flooding today. Afternoon showers along portions of the eastern coastline will be relatively light and brief, keeping rainfall totals minimal. Should any thunderstorm develop and move onshore, they may produce a quick 1-2”.
Riverine Flooding: There are no riverine concerns across Florida. For more information, visit the River Forecast Center.
Lake Okeechobee’s average elevation is 12.29 feet, which is within the operational band and is 2.23 feet below normal for this time of year.
