Weather should be warm and drier for Thanksgiving and Black Friday
Thanksgiving brings several T’s to the table: turkey and time together — but thankfully little chance of thunderstorms.
We’ve had enough of those since Sunday, right?
Tuesday started a drying-out period, said George Rizzuto, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Miami.
Thanksgiving Thursday in South Florida and the Keys has only a slight chance of an isolated shower or thunderstorm — a 20% chance for the east coast, Rizzuto said. Same story on Black Friday for those with holiday shopping plans.
“And then even less into the weekend, so it’s looking pretty dry beyond today,” Rizzuto said Tuesday when rain chances were 60% but primarily in the northern parts of
South Florida, in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
That’s a shift from some recent record rains at Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood international airports. “We also set a November record at our office — 51⁄2 inches of rain here,” Rizzuto said from the center on Florida International University’s campus in West MiamiDade.
A coastal flood statement remained for Miami-Dade through late Tuesday night for minor coastal flooding. Tuesday also brought a high risk for rip currents at Broward and Palm Beach County beaches through Wednesday, with a moderate risk for Miami-Dade beaches.
Broward County officials posted on Twitter that high tides were expected Wednesday through Saturday and that could lead to flooding in low-lying areas and coastal cities.
“Plan accordingly and drive safely during the holiday weekend,” officials said.
As for temperatures, South Florida will be warm in the mid-80s, slightly above average for this time of year, but nowhere near record heat, Rizzuto said.
Orlando and Gainesville will be in the upper- to mid-70s, respectively, on Thanksgiving, with the same minimal rain chances.
That said, Southwest Florida will still be the country’s warmest spot, WINK meteorologist Matt Wink posted on Facebook. Expect 82 degrees in Tampa Bay, for instance.
That’s hot for people, but not quite hot enough to roast a turkey.