We all know the saying “The more things change, the more they stay the same”. This could apply to our weather as the new week begins! Here’s a look at the Miami skyline, early Sunday evening. Overhead, there are broken clouds and a detectable layer of haze.
The hazy conditions are the result of Saharan Dust that temporarily moved over us. An impact of the dust is drier times. Only very limited showers can be seen on the latest radar image.
There’s a “dry slot” that extends from southeast Florida through the northwestern Bahamas (and south to Cuba). It’s the area in orange, on the water vapor map, shown here. What’s not far away, though? An expanding area of deep tropical moisture. It’s expected to arrive within the next 24 hours.
The Monday forecast map shows 3 important features: departing Saharan Dust (shifting into Gulf), distant high pressure over the Atlantic, and a Tropical Wave crossing the Caribbean. The high will continue to direct our steering flow, sending a few rain bands into our region. These will be fairly swift-moving on Monday. Then, as the weak tropical wave passes to our south, the “gate will open” for more moisture and rain. Wetter times could extend into Wednesday (along with Tuesday).
Finally, here’s a snapshot of a Tropical Timeline. The red arrow points to where we are within the 2019 Hurricane Season as we approach the peak. This is typically a time in which we see the most action. While tropical activity remains muted for the time being, don’t let down your guard! Systems can form fast and water temperatures are plenty warm to stir up tropical storms before you know it. Continue to have a hurricane plan and keep up with the latest tropical forecasts, especially into September and October.