Soaking storms to cause delays, ease drought conditions in Florida into Tuesday

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist

March 13,2017, 1:45:54PM,EDT

 

 

Heavy thunderstorms will cross Florida into Tuesday, bringing needed rainfall, but also disrupting travel and outdoor plans.
Those on spring break may need to move outdoor plans indoors. Those hoping to catch a Major League Baseball spring training game should prepare for delays or postponements.
As a nor’easter takes shape along the East Coast early this week, rain and thunderstorms will gather south of the storm.

The most concentrated area of rain and thunderstorms will focus along a corridor from St. Augustine to Gainesville, Orlando and Tampa during Monday afternoon and night.
The stormy weather will tend to be more isolated in nature across South Florida, including Miami.
While severe weather will not be widespread across the region, a few thunderstorms could turn locally damaging, especially along the west coast of Florida.
Isolated damaging wind gusts and even a waterspout or two coming ashore cannot be ruled out.
Those who head to the beaches during the mainly dry first half of the day should keep a wary eye to the sky and seek shelter as soon as thunder is heard or lightning is seen.
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The wet weather will be beneficial to areas of the Florida Peninsula that have been dealing with abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions.
Brush fires have broken out across the state due to the unusual dryness, including one that shut down portions of Interstate 95 near Miami last week.
The surge of wet weather will help to soak the dry ground and extinguish some of the ongoing brush fires.

Much drier and cooler weather is poised to settle over the state in the wake of the storms.
On Wednesday, highs will drop into the 50s and 60s across northern and central portions of the state, while South Florida will have highs in the 70s.