A formidable meteorological specter from the Gulf of Mexico is sweeping northwards, lugging abundant rainfall, ferocious winds, and threats of flooding that places millions in the firing line. While not a tropical storm, the system flaunts a striking resemblance to one and is poised to batter Florida tomorrow before a weekend rendezvous with the East Coast.
Owing to the tempest’s tropical mimicry, the risk of flooding will be substantial, and so will the coastal flooding threat. Fueled by moisture surging from the ocean, this system promises to wreak havoc on the soil’s absorption capacity.
For the weekend, a conspicuous threat lurks over the Florida peninsula due to potential excessive rainfall that could cascade into flooding, extending into portions of southern Florida. As the weekend wanes and a new work week dawns, the peril of flooding will broaden its grip to much of the eastern seaboard.
Several pieces contribute to the grand puzzle of forming this type of storm. The burgeoning low-pressure system, which has been traversing the four corners into the Texas and Oklahoma panhandle, is an essential cog in the storm-making machine. Over the coming hours, this system is projected to journey eastward, spinning off another low-pressure system that will rapidly gather strength. Expected to launch a moisture onslaught from the Gulf of Mexico upon making landfall near Florida's Big Bend, it will deliver substantial rainfall and extend the downpour to the East Coast.
With expectations of a substantial deluge, forecasters predict several inches of rainfall, as much as four to five inches from Daytona to Miami. The impact will spread to Savannah, into Charleston, the Outer Banks, across the mid-Atlantic and all the way to New York City by weekend's end. Unfortunately, no reprieve will follow as temperatures soar well above freezing.
Simultaneously, wind conditions will turn increasingly treacherous, with gusts potentially topping 40 to 50 MPH, especially in the higher elevations, spanning from Florida through the southeast and up to the East Coast.
In Florida, coastal flood warnings and watches are already afoot, even though there is little on the radar presently. However, fluctuations are forecasted to occur within the next 12 to 24 hours, with heavy rainfall expected for Tampa and the looming possibility of coastal flooding.
