Current Weather Outlook
Statewide weather outlook from Florida Division of Emergency Management Meteorology
Friday, November 22, 2024
...Mostly Sunny and Dry Conditions Expected Statewide With A Cool and Dry Area of High Pressure Building In...Breezy Winds With Gusts Upwards of 15-25 MPH Persist Across the State...Elevated Risk for Fire Weather Across the North-Central Peninsula Today; Sensitive to Elevated Wildfire Conditions Expected Across Portions of North and Central Florida With Locally Sensitive Wildfire Conditions Elsewhere As Relative Humidity Values Fall Near or Below Critical Thresholds...Elevated Winds To Cause Temperatures to Feel Like They Are In The Low to Middle 30s Across North Florida Overnight Into Early Saturday Morning...Frost Advisories Issued Along the Western Panhandle Diminishing Winds Will Allow For Areas of Frost Across North Florida Overnight Into Early Saturday Morning; Additional Frost Advisories Will Likely Be Issued Later Today...Moderate to High Risk for Rip Currents and Hazardous Beach and Boating Conditions Persist Statewide...Minor Saltwater Flooding Continues Along the Upper and Middle Keys...
Updated at 8:53 AM EDT
Today's Threats:
| No Threat | Low Threat | Medium Threat | High Threat |
| Lightning | Damaging Wind/Hail | Flash Flooding | River Flooding | Coastal Flooding | Fire Weather | Freeze (Overnight) | Rip Currents |
|
Withlacoochee near Holder St. Johns at Astor |
Upper & Middle Keys |
N-Central Peninsula Statewide |
North FL |
FL Panhandle & W-Coast E-Coast |
Weather Summary for the Next 24 Hours:
A dry re-enforcing cold front currently situated near the I-4 corridor will continue to move through the state today. Sunny and dry conditions can be expected across the state throughout the day as a cool and dry high pressure airmass builds in behind the cold front (near 0% chance of rain). Breezy northwesterly winds near 10-15 mph with gusts upwards of 15-25 mph will persist statewide today before beginning to gradually diminish tonight.
Despite sunny skies, high temperatures will remain in the low to middle 60s across North Florida this afternoon with middle 60s to low 70s across Central and South Florida, and low to middle 70s along the far Southern Peninsula and Keys. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is outlooking an Elevated Risk (level 1 of 3) for Fire Weather across the North-Central Florida Peninsula as sensitive to elevated wildfire conditions are expected across portions of Northern and Central Peninsula this afternoon with locally sensitive wildfire conditions possible elsewhere as relative humidity values fall near or below critical thresholds (25-45%).
Low temperatures will continue to fall into the middle to upper 30s across interior portions of North Florida with low to middle 40s along the coastlines, upper 30s to middle 40s across interior portions of Central Florida with upper 40s to low 50s along the coastlines, middle 40s to middle 50s across South Florida, and 60s along the Keys tonight. Elevated winds will cause temperatures to feel like they are near freezing in the low to middle 30s across much of North Florida overnight into early Saturday morning. Frost Advisories have been issued along the Western Panhandle as diminishing winds and sufficient moisture across North Florida will likely allow for areas of frost to develop overnight into early Saturday morning. Additional Frost Advisories are likely to be issued further eastward later today across interior portions of North Florida.
Rip Currents: Breezy winds and ocean swells will continue to create a moderate to high risk for rip currents along the Florida Panhandle and Gulf Coast today. East Coast beaches will continue to see a moderate to risk for rip currents. For the latest Rip Current Outlook, visit www.weather.gov/beach.
Marine Hazards: Ocean swells and breezy winds will linger along Florida Coastlines behind the recent cold fronts, maintaining hazardous beach and boating conditions across the state. 3-6’ breaking waves can be expected nearly statewide in the surf with locally higher breaking waves near 7’ possible along the East Coast and West Coast. Florida Panhandle beaches will likely see wave heights return to near 2-5’ by this afternoon.
Red Tide has been observed in 125 samples collected from Northwest and Southwest Florida over the past week (as of 11/20). Background to medium concentrations were observed in and offshore of Pinellas County with low and medium concentrations in and offshore of Hillsborough County, background to medium concentrations in and offshore of Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee Counties, background to very low concentrations offshore of Collier County, and medium concentrations offshore of Pasco County. Fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported offshore of Pinellas County and along Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Respiratory irritation suspected to be related to red tide was reported in Sarasota County.
Coastal Flooding: Coastal Flood Statements remain in effect along the Upper and Middle Florida Keys as minor saltwater flooding persists near and at times of high tide.
Tropical cyclone activity is not expected during the next 7 days.
For the latest on the tropics, please visit the National Hurricane Center (NHC) at www.hurricanes.gov.
Fire Weather: Sunny and dry conditions can be expected across the state throughout the day as a cool and dry high pressure airmass builds in behind the recent cold fronts. Breezy northwesterly winds near 10-15 mph with gusts upwards of 15-25 mph will persist statewide today before beginning to gradually diminish tonight. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is outlooking an Elevated Risk (level 1 of 3) for Fire Weather across the North-Central Florida Peninsula as sensitive to elevated wildfire conditions are expected across portions of Northern and Central Peninsula this afternoon with locally sensitive wildfire conditions possible elsewhere as relative humidity values fall near or below critical thresholds (25-45%). According to the Florida Forest Service, there are 13 active wildfires across the state burning approximately 29.46 acres.
Drought: Dryness and drought conditions persist across North Florida on this week’s Drought Monitor update (11/21) as a result of little to no rainfall across the state. Severe Drought conditions have shifted eastward and now cover much of the Central Florida Panhandle. Moderate Drought conditions remain in place through the rest of the Panhandle and eastward to the Capital City but have also now been introduced in a band along and north of the I-10 Corridor from the I-75 corridor eastward to the East Coast. Abnormally Dry (emerging drought) conditions remain in place through the Eastern Big bend and Northern Peninsula and have also been introduced in South Florida in this week’s update where rainfall totals ranged from 1/2 to 2/3 of normal for the past couple of months. Above normal temperatures and near to slightly above normal rainfall outlooked over the next week or so may allow for little change in drought conditions over the next week.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida is 335 (+3) on a scale from 0 (very wet) to 800 (very dry). There are no Florida Counties with an average KBDI over 500 (drought/increased fire danger).
Flash Flooding: There is no risk for flash flooding today.
Riverine Flooding: Minor to moderate riverine flooding is ongoing for portions of the Withlacoochee River (in West-Central Florida) and the St. Johns River in response to Hurricane Milton. Moderate flooding persists along the Withlacoochee River near Holder at SR-200 as water levels continue to slowly decline. Minor flooding continues along the St. Johns River at Astor as water levels hold steady or very slowly decline. For more information, visit the River Forecast Center.
Lake Okeechobee’s average elevation is 16.00 feet, which is within the operational band and 1.09 feet above normal for this time of year.