Current Weather Outlook
Statewide weather outlook from Florida Division of Emergency Management Meteorology
Friday, December 5, 2025
...Another Round of Scattered to Widespread Shower Activity for the Panhandle and Big Bend...Embedded Thunderstorms Possible; Locally Strong to Severe Ones Closer Toward the Coast...Nuisance Ponding of Water for Any Heavy Repeated Downpours...Dry Conditions Persist for Central and South Florida...Shower Activity to Continue Overnight and Shift Slightly South Into Nature Coast...Widespread Fog Development By Sunrise Saturday; Dense Fog Possible for Suwannee Valley and Central Florida...Moderate to High Risk for Rip Currents Along Panhandle and East Coast Beaches...
Updated at 8:24 AM EST
Today's Threats:
|
No Threat |
Low Threat |
Medium Threat |
High Threat |
|
Lightning |
Tornado |
Damaging Wind/Hail |
Wildfire |
Freeze (Overnight) |
Fog (Overnight) |
Coastal Flooding |
Rip Currents |
|
Panhandle & Iso. Big Bend Iso. Northeast FL |
Iso. Coastal Panhandle & BIg Bend | Iso. Coastal Panhandle & BIg Bend |
North FL |
Suwannee Valley & Central Florida Northeast FL & Peninsula Statewide |
E. Panhandle Panhandle & East Coast West Coast |
Weather Summary for the Next 24 Hours:
Scattered showers are ongoing this morning along the Panhandle as a frontal system remains draped along the gulf coast and the northern gulf waters. The systems warm front boundary over the Panhandle will extend northward into southern Georgia and will continue to pull moisture from the gulf waters leading to another day for scattered to widespread showers and embedded thunderstorms across North Florida (40-80% chance of rain). There is a chance for any of these thunderstorms to become locally strong to severe along the eastern Panhandle coast this morning and the Big Bend this afternoon. These strong to severe thunderstorms will be capable of producing damaging wind gusts (45-60 mph) and an embedded tornado or two. Widespread rainfall will continue to benefit the ongoing drought conditions across North Florida, which will help keep the risk for flash flooding low; however, nuisance ponding of water may be possible with repeated rainfall over urban corridors. Dry conditions will persist throughout Central and South Florida during the daytime hours as high pressure to the east continues to extend over the Peninsula.
High temperatures will reach the upper 50s along the Panhandle and the upper 60s to upper 70s across the rest of North Florida. Central and South Florida will see high temperatures in the lower to middle 80s.
The frontal system will continue to approach from the west overnight and continue to bring scattered showers and embedded thunderstorms across North Florida. The heaviest rainfall should be to the north; however, instances of locally heavy rainfall at times (25-55% chance of rain). There still may be a chance for embedded thunderstorms overnight closer towards the coasts and coastal waters. Shower activity will begin to spread southward into the lower Suwannee Valley and the Nature Coast by the early morning hours on Saturday (20-35% chance of rain). Patchy fog will be possible overnight and early Saturday morning throughout the state, with instances of dense fog possible throughout Suwannee Valley and extending through Central Florida by sunrise Saturday morning.
Low temperatures will fall into the upper 40s to upper 50s across North Florida, lower to middle 60s across Central Florida and middle 60s to lower 70s across South Florida.
Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30.
For the latest on the tropics, please visit the National Hurricane Center (NHC) at www.hurricanes.gov.
Rip Currents: A moderate to high risk for rip currents is expected for all Panhandle where breezy onshore winds are expected to continue. Numerous East Coast beaches can expect a moderate risk for rip currents. For the latest Rip Current Outlook, visit www.weather.gov/beach.
Marine Hazards: North Florida beaches will see wave heights near 2-4’ throughout the day, with the largest wave action along the First Coast. Peninsula beaches will continue to see surf of 1-3’.
Red Tide was observed at background to medium concentrations along Bay and Gulf counties along the coastlines. Low concentrations were observed offshore from Franklin county. Background conditions will were observed along coastal Pinellas and Lee County.
Coastal Flooding: There is no risk for coastal flooding across Florida.
Fire Weather: A frontal system draped along the northern gulf waters and southwesterly winds will help to keep relative humidity values well above critical thresholds across the state. This frontal system will continue to bring scattered to widespread rainfall across the Panhandle at times, leading to beneficial rainfall for the ongoing drought conditions. Since yesterday morning, the Panhandle saw near 1-1.5” of rainfall, which should continue to seep into the topsoil. Regardless, sensitive to locally elevated wildfire conditions will persist given the expanding and ongoing drought conditions. According to the Florida Forest Service, there are 32 active wildfires across the state burning approximately 483 acres.
Drought (12/4): Some beneficial rainfall fell across the western Panhandle towards the beginning of this week, which may be reflected in next week’s Drought Monitor outlook, however for this week’s outlook mostly dry conditions prevailed prompting an expansion of most drought categories across the state. An introduction of Severe Drought (level 2 of 4) was added to coastal West-Central Florida around the Tampa Bay metropolitan area where 60-day rainfall departures remain near 3-5 inches below normal. Moderate Drought (level 1 of 4) was expanded southeastward across much of interior South Florida with abnormally dry (emerging drought) continuing to stretch towards the Southeast Florida coastline. Across North Florida where the worst drought in 14 years is occurring, Exceptional Drought (level 4 of 4) remains in place across Leon, Gadsden, western Calhoun and Jackson, and northern Jefferson, Wakulla, and Liberty counties. Severe (level 2 of 4) to Extreme Drought (level 3 of 4) also remains in place across much of the I-10 corridor and southward along the Forgotten and Nature Coast. Long-term rainfall departures, despite the recent rainfall, remain well below average and streamflows across the northern tier of the state are very low. Additional rainfall this week and weekend will hopefully provide some reduction of the drought for next week’s outlook. However, Central and South Florida may continue to see deteriorating drought conditions moving forward where cold fronts will struggle to reach.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida is 513 (+2) on a scale from 0 (very wet) to 800 (very dry). There are 41 Florida counties that have an average KBDI above 500 (drought/increased fire danger). Calhoun and Leon counties both have KBDI values over 700.
Flash Flooding: There is no organized risk for flash flooding today. Another round to scattered to widespread showers and possible embedded thunderstorms will lead to beneficial rainfall for the Panhandle today. The heaviest rainfall looks to remain offshore or near the Panhandle coastline, which could lead to some larger accumulations. Overall rainfall totals near 1-2” can be expected, with locally higher totals upwards of 3” for any training or multiple showers over the same coastal areas.
Riverine Flooding: There are no riverine concerns. Additional rainfall today will continue to benefit dry rivers, creeks and streams with below normal streamflow. For more information, visit the River Forecast Center.
Lake Okeechobee’s average elevation is 13.66 feet, which is within the operational band and is 1.13 feet below normal for this time of year.
