Boaters should also be on the lookout for sudden dangerous seas and waterspouts.
As of 8 a.m. EDT Thursday, nearly 4 inches of rain has fallen on Cross City, Florida, with between 2 and 3 inches of rain drenching the Tampa/St. Petersburg area during the prior 48 hours.While downpours were more spotty in nature in South Florida, most of the peninsula received at least some rain from the pattern since Tuesday morning.Into Friday, the best bet for a sunny day at the beach will be over the panhandle or in the Keys.
More downpours will drench the peninsula through Friday with the most persistent rain likely to be over the central and northern counties.In these central and northern parts of the peninsula, the rain will be much more frequent than the typical rainy season storms.
Additional rainfall of 3-5 inches with locally higher amounts are possible from Tampa and Orlando to Gainesville and Jacksonville, Florida.
Farther south, the downpours will be much less frequent.However, much of the 1-2 inches of rain that is likely to fall in this zone from Thursday to Friday may come in one or two gusty thunderstorms. The extra heat from the sunshine will raise the potential for more robust storms versus areas that remain cloudy and wet all day.
Remember to move indoors or seek shelter in a hard-top metal vehicle at the first rumble of thunder. If you can hear thunder, you are at risk for being struck by lightning.
Never attempt to drive through flooded areas. The water may be deeper than it appears and could cause your vehicle to stall. Also, the road surface may have been washed away.
The moisture swath is being produced by a front that has stalled from the central Gulf of Mexico to over the western Atlantic.There continues to be a slight chance of tropical depression formation within this zone, especially over the Gulf of Mexico.Occasionally, complexes of thunderstorms that persist can allow a circulation to develop that may give rise to a tropical system.
During this weekend, the corridor of frequent showers and thunderstorms will push northward over the Florida Panhandle and along much the Interstate 10 corridor.
The pattern of low humidity and cool conditions will end in the I-10 zone and same risks from flooding as that of the Florida Peninsula can develop.
reference –
Accu Weather