Happy Friday, South Florida!

Despite the fact that we started our day with areas of patchy fog & low visibility across inland areas, South Florida was most definitely showing off with its beauty!

A weak front remains stalled out near the Lake Okeechobee region, which will help trigger showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, especially in that area. And with winds veering out of the SSE today, the East Coast metro areas shouldn’t be the focal point for showers and storms this afternoon.  The big story across South Florida today will be the fact that temperatures will be nearing records once again during the afternoon hours.  (I thought Fall started almost a month ago!)

Tonight clouds will continue to increase and the breeze will build across all of South Florida.  The reason?  Let’s turn our attention to the Tropics very close to home!

In the Gulf of Mexico we find Potential Storm #16 (soon to be Tropical or Subtropical Storm Nestor).  While winds are of tropical-storm force, NOAA Recon Aircraft has had a difficult time finding a well-defined center of circulation (which is why the storm has not officially been named yet).  As it races towards the Northeast, tropical storm force winds and dangerous storm surge will already be felt as early as tonight. This is why the National Hurricane Center has temporarily given it its “Potential Storm #16” name….in order to issue watches and warnings well ahead of time.

Potential Storm #16 has its sight set on the Florida Panhandle & is forecast to make landfall late tonight or early Saturday, potentially as a strong tropical [or subtropical] storm.  Tropical storm and/or storm surge warnings have been issue along the Gulf Coast as far south as Clearwater, Florida and as far North and West as coastal Louisiana.

While South Florida is not forecast to feel any DIRECT impacts with this system, a tail of moisture could set up behind the storm that could leave rain chances in the forecast through at least on Sunday.

Have a great weekend!

Erika Delgado

Meteorologist

WSVN Channel 7 News

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