WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — If you have outdoor plans for the Labor Day holiday weekend, you don’t necessarily need to cancel them, but you’ll want to keep an eye on the radar.
A very moist tropical air mass remains over South Florida and the Treasure Coast this weekend, keeping our weather hot, humid and unsettled. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected each day. This wet pattern will persist through the weekend and into early next week.
Saturday: Storms increase through the afternoon
As daytime heating increases and the sea breeze develops, scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms will begin developing. For the Palm Beaches, rain chances are around 60% to 70%, while the Treasure Coast carries about a 70% chance of rain.
The best opportunity for thunderstorms will generally come from late morning through the afternoon and early evening.
Because winds steering the storms are relatively weak, some thunderstorms may move slowly. That could allow heavy rainfall to fall over the same location for an extended period of time.
Most areas will receive considerably less, but localized rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are possible beneath slow-moving or repeated storms.
Storm activity should gradually decrease Saturday evening, although an isolated shower or thunderstorm may linger near the coast or over the Atlantic.
Hot and humid before the storms arrive
Before thunderstorms provide some temporary cooling, temperatures will climb to around 90 to 92 degrees across much of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast.
High humidity will make it feel considerably hotter, with peak heat index values generally reaching 100 to 107 degrees.
That means anyone spending an extended amount of time outside should take breaks, stay hydrated and have a place to cool down particularly before afternoon storms arrive.
Sunday: Storms shift back toward the East Coast
Sunday brings another round of scattered to numerous thunderstorms, but there will be a subtle change in the pattern.
Winds become more south to southwesterly as a weak frontal boundary approaches the Southeast. This should keep the Atlantic sea breeze closer to Florida's East Coast.
Thunderstorms may initially develop farther west before activity shifts back toward the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast during the afternoon.
Rain chances generally run around 50% to 60% Sunday, so earlier outdoor plans will likely offer a better opportunity to avoid thunderstorms.
What about Labor Day?
Unfortunately, Labor Day Monday doesn't bring a major change.
Plenty of moisture remains available, and another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected. South to southwesterly winds should continue to favor afternoon and evening thunderstorm development across the interior and portions of Florida's East Coast.
The exact placement of individual storms will depend on sea-breeze boundaries, but the overall message remains the same: plan around the storms rather than canceling the entire day.
The wet pattern is expected to continue into the beginning of the new workweek before the flow gradually becomes more easterly around the middle of the week. That should eventually push more of the afternoon storm focus toward the interior and western side of the peninsula.
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The holiday weekend won't be a complete washout, but there isn't a completely dry day either. Morning and earlier-day plans will generally give you the best opportunity for outdoor activities, while thunderstorms become a bigger concern as we move into the afternoon and evening.
