A lingering tropical disturbance and a broad area of low pressure over the Bahamas are pumping moisture into South Florida, keeping Palm Beach County and the wider Southeast coast under a wet, breezy pattern.
The setup is a tight pressure gradient. The low near the Bahamas sits between a strong high-pressure ridge building to the north, and the difference between the two is driving bands of onshore showers, gusty winds and a higher risk of coastal flooding. Tropical rainbands rotating around the western edge of the disturbance are the main source of rain across Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Northeasterly winds are blowing a sustained 20 to 25 mph, with gusts of 35 to 40 mph along the immediate coast.
Forecasters expect the disturbance to drift east and weaken over the open Atlantic, which should ease the pressure gradient. By Wednesday afternoon into Thursday, tropical moisture is forecast to fall off sharply, and rain chances should drop to about 20%. Drier, sunnier weather is expected to arrive in time for the Halloween weekend.
Until then, emergency officials advise drivers to stay out of flooded roadways and urge beachgoers to keep out of the dangerous surf.
