Another round of soaking rain, severe storms eyes Florida this weekend

By Brett Rathbun, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

January 16,2016; 9:50PM,EST

 

 

Thunderstorms will roll across central and South Florida on Saturday night into Sunday with the threat for damaging winds and heavy rainfall.
This storm will follow in the footsteps of a storm that moved across the state on Friday which produced damaging winds and a tornado across South Florida.
"This storm will rapidly intensify over the Gulf of Mexico during Saturday night and push heavy, gusty thunderstorms across Florida late Saturday night into Sunday morning," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Michael LeSeney said."

Similar to the storm on Friday, this storm could drop a quick 1 to 3 inches of rain across the state. Localized flash flooding may occur.
Locations with the greatest threat for gusty thunderstorms include Orlando, Tampa, Miami and Fort Myers.
"An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out amongst the strongest storms," LeSeney said.
RELATED:
AccuWeather severe weather center
Florida interactive radar
Dangerous arctic cold to invade midwestern, northeastern US
On the north side of the storm, a soaking rain will fall across locations north of Tampa and Orlando toward Jacksonville and Tallahassee. The threat for any severe weather across these areas will be low.
Those traveling on Saturday night into Sunday morning across interstates 4, 75 and 95 need to be alert for heavy downpours and ponding on the roadways. Those on the highways should use caution at night as you are unable to see much of the road conditions ahead.
Drier and much colder air will build across the state to begin the new week. On Tuesday, high temperatures may fail to reach the 60s F across much of northern and central Florida. Temperatures will not reach the 70s across South Florida or the Keys.