Forecasters warn of severe weather Tuesday as Gulf storm moves east

A storm forming along the Gulf Coast is expected to douse the southeast with drenching rain and potentially severe thunderstorms through Tuesday, bringing with it cooler temperatures, AccuWeather reports.

“There is little doubt that a portion of the Southeastern states will get a thorough soaking from the storm into Tuesday, but there is some question as to how extensive the shield of rain will be,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Tony Zartman said.

Ahead of holiday travel, airports in the southeast region may experience delays due to lightning or severe thunderstorms. Travel could also be reduced due to visibility issues.

In Florida, a popular travel destination this time of year, rain is expected in areas that generally receive little to no rain during the first half of December.

“A soaking rain or a few downpours might not be a terrible thing but could bring disruptions and an inconvenience to those spending time outdoors and visiting beaches and theme parks in the days ahead of Christmas,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski reports of increased rain in Florida.

The late fall, winter and early spring months are typically a dry time of year in Florida. In Orlando, one of Florida’s most popular tourist destinations over the holidays, average rainfall is only between 1 and 3 inches from November to March.

A weather front was located over the Gulf of Mexico Sunday afternoon, producing spotty, sporadic rainfall along the Gulf Coast of Florida. Depending on how strong the storm is and how fast it travels will determine how far the rain reaches, AccuWeather Meteorologist Tony Zartman said.

Depending on how the storm evolves, it could produce supercell thunderstorms over the Florida Peninsula, or brief downpours that could extend as far south as Miami or the Florida Keys by Tuesday afternoon and evening.

“Enough warmth, moisture and jet stream energy are likely to be available to produce heavy, gusty thunderstorms that are expected to become severe for some in central and southern Florida from Monday night to Tuesday,” AccuWeather reports. “People with boating, fishing or beach activities scheduled for this week may want to plan accordingly as there is the threat for water spouts with any robust storm over the water.”

The storm expected to bring cooler weather and drenching rain to the Southeast is next expected to turn north up the Atlantic Coast by Wednesday and Thursday bringing with it cooler temperatures and rain through the Christmas weekend.

However, the storm could remain just off the coast and go out to sea, AccuWeather reports, giving travelers throughout the mid-Atlantic a respite from severe weather.

In Florida, CBS4 Miami News reports the weather front poses a “marginal risk,” suggesting there’s an “isolated chance for a storm to become severe and produce gusty winds, heavy rain, hail, or an isolated tornado.”

Regardless of the weather forecast, Miami International Airport says its expecting a record-high number of 2.6 million passengers traveling through over a 17-day period from Dec. 21 to Jan. 6.

That an increase of 6% over the same time period in 2019, with roughly 156,000 travelers a day.

The busiest days are expected to be Jan. 2 and 3, the airport says, with more than 165,000 people projected to be traveling each day.

Travel in south Florida remains high, with TSA reporting that it screened more than 2 million people for the third straight day on Sunday, CBS4 Miami News reports.

This article was originally posted on Forecasters warn of severe weather Tuesday as Gulf storm moves east

About The Author

Bwethany Blankley

See author's posts