South Florida may see 7-foot offshore swells

Remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur to hit later this week

The remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur could bring strong rip currents and the possibility of 7-foot offshore swells to South Florida later this week, as what’s left of the storm loops to the south.

The storm produced winds of up to 60 mph Tuesday but lost structure as it started to wheel southeast, setting a course that will allow it to dissipate in a few days in the middle of the Atlantic.

Although the storm will be several hundred miles from South Florida later this week, its winds could create rough water off the coast, particularly for Palm Beach County.

Broward and Miami-Dade counties, protected by the barrier of the Bahamas, will see lower waves. But Palm Beach

County could see offshore swells of 7 feet or so, especially Thursday, said Steve Ippoliti, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.

“For small craft, that would be rough,” he said.

The former tropical storm is expected to weaken over the next few days, with top wind speeds falling to 35 mph by Thursday before the system dissipates.

Arthur was the first named storm of the 2020 hurricane season, forming more than two weeks before the official June 1 starting date. This was the sixth year in a row to see a named storm form prior to the official opening date.

Although initially thought to be a threat to North Carolina, the storm stayed offshore, bringing the state only some windy, rainy weather before veering out into the ocean.

Waves at the beach may not be particularly high, he said, because local winds aren’t expected to be strong.